Camalig, Albay – St. John the Baptist Parish Church in the town of Camalig lights up in orange as the Department of Tourism Regional Office V (DOT ROV) kickstarts the 18-day campaign to end Violence Against Women (VAW) on Monday, November 25.
This significant event is referred to as the Orange Your Icon which is a unique initiative that encourages local government units (LGUs), national government agencies, and even private organizations to support and heed the call for a VAW-free Pilipinas by illuminating significant landmarks with the optimistic color orange which symbolizes hope and a future free from violence against women.
Following last year’s lighting ceremony of Legazpi Rotonda as a significant landmark, it is high time to acknowledge one of the faith tourism destinations of Albay as a notable beacon for ‘Orange Your Icon.’
This year has opened various tourism opportunities for Camalig to enhance and promote their tourism destinations in a progressive tourism circuit, involving their faith tourism gem – the St. John the Baptist Parish Church.
The church’s significant historical and cultural value that transcends through the tourism line of Albay province, it is also declared by the National Museum as one of the significant structures of the country, bragging under the Important Cultural Property category.
Bicol takes pride in participating in this important event each year, according to DOT ROV Assistant Regional Director Maria Salee Mora, because lighting up historical and cultural landmarks gives the region a chance to showcase its provinces’ offerings while also supporting the call for a VAW-Free community. | Danica Roselyn Lim