PCGNY.net | Ambassador del Rosario, Philippine Consuls General to the U.S.

AMBASSADOR DEL ROSARIO, PHILIPPINE CONSULS GENERAL TO THE U.S. ORGANIZE FIRST TOUR TO THE PHILIPPINES

PHILIPPINE CONSULATE - NEWS RELEASE
09 March 2005

New York, New York --- Consul General Cecilia Rebong announced last week that Philippine Ambassador to the United States, Albert del Rosario, and all the Philippine Consuls General in the U.S. have put together a project designed to promote Philippine tourism and help boost the domestic economy. The project is called the “First Ambassador’s and Consuls General’s Tour to the Philippines.” It aims to give Filipino-Americans, especially those who have not been to the country for sometime, a unique and inexpensive way of revisiting their homeland. The project is being undertaken in collaboration with the Philippine Department of Tourism.

The tour consists of two parts. The first part is the Basic Tour which takes place July 13 to 15. The Basic Tour is packaged at US$1,395.00 per person and offers the following inclusions and amenities: a roundtrip airfare from JFK to Manila and back, roundtrip transfers between airport and hotel, welcome drink, 2-night accommodation at a luxurious hotel (Makati Shangri-la or Manila Peninsula), daily breakfast, Charms of Manila tour, a lunch, Intramuros Light and Sound tour, dinner reception and fashion show, and visit to Malacanang Palace where the participants will get the chance to meet with Philippine national leaders.

The second part of the tour is the Out-of-Town Tours which takes place July 15 to 19. Four our-of-town tours are offered, namely, Cebu/Bohol, Palawan, Boracay/Corregidor, Laguna de Bay Loop tours. These tours are designed for a 3-night/4-day itinerary. The cost per person on a twin-sharing accommodation is as follows:

Cebu/Bohol Tour - $680
Palawan Holiday Tour – $542
Boracay/Corregidor Tour - $523
Laguna de Bay Loop Tour - $450

The above tour prices include applicable land/air/water transportation, deluxe hotel/resort accommodation, guided tour, breakfast/lunch and other exciting amenities.

“What is interesting about the tour is that it will be led by Ambassador himself and all the Philippine Consuls General to the U.S,” Consul General Rebong said. “We will practically serve as unofficial ‘tour guides’ of those who will be participating as they visit the country’s top tourist destinations. And considering that the package includes roundtrip airfare plus accommodations in de luxe hotels in Metro Manila, the tour prices are relatively inexpensive,” she added. Rebong also emphasized that the “First Ambassador’s/Consuls’ General Tour to the Philippines” is highly unique in that it incorporates a stop at the Presidential Palace in Malacanang for a call on the President.

Consul General Rebong invites Filipinos in the northeast to join the tour. “It is a very good way of enjoying the country’s tourist attractions and helping the Philippines as well,” Rebong added.

According to Ambassador del Rosario, “This tourism initiative aims to highlight the Philippines as a safe and attractive global travel destination.” He added that “our country has a lot to offer, both man-made and natural attractions, to foreign tourists. Every Filipino has many reasons to be proud of his cultural heritage and confident to tell stories about his country among his friends or colleagues. The word-of-mouth campaign is not only an inexpensive medium to generate the interest of their friends and colleagues to visit our country but is also a powerful way to project our rich historical and cultural heritage among other ethnicities.”

Information about how to join the 1st Ambassador’s/Consuls’ General Tour to the Philippine may be obtained from the Philippine Consulate General in New York at tel. no. (212) 764-1330 ext. 308 or 601, and email philconsulateny@mindspring.com; and also the Philippine Department of Tourism in New York at tel. no. (212) 575-7915 and email pdotny@aol.com. Participation in the tour has to be confirmed by April 30.