Exhibit. At the ribbon-cutting rites are (L-R) SM’s Sibal and Mateo, Fr. Reyes, Archbishop Aniceto, Hontiveros, Amores, Tiotuico and photographers Alagos, Lacson and Pangilinan.
Photos by Ric Gonzales
City First Lady Pamintuan admires photos with Tiotuico, Aniceto and Mateo.
CLARK FREEPORT – “This exhibit showed the beauty of our place (Pampanga) and the magnificence of our churches.”
Thus said Marianne Hontiveros, chief executive officer of AirAsia-Philippines, as she joined the ribbon-cutting rites to open the three-man photo exhibit dubbed “Visita Iglesia: Edifices of the Kapampangan Faith Revisited” on March 21 at the SM City Clark.
The more than 100 photos of veteran journalists Bong Lacson, Deng Pangilinan and Peter Alagos will be shown until April 4, Holy Wednesday, at the SM City Clark’s Event Center.
“We are stakeholders here and we must support this exhibit or anything that promotes tourism and business,” said Hontiveros, who will lead the launching of AirAsia’s two local flights from the Clark International Airport on March 28.
Hontiveros joined San Fernando Archbishop Most Rev. Paciano B. Aniceto, Department of Tourism Regional Director Ronnie Tiotuico, SM Supermalls Vice President for Operations Bien Mateo and Assistant Vice President for North Luzon 2 Operations Juancho S. Sibal, Sta. Rita Parish Priest Fr. Eugene Reyes and officials from Canon Marketing (Philippines), Inc. led by Regional Sales Manager – Central Luzon Dennis Amores in opening the exhibit highlighting 10 old churches in the province and a chapel in Sto. Tomas town.
For his part, Mateo said “SM always promotes culture and heritage and history of the place where we are in.”
“The old churches will definitely attract the attention of common folk,” said Mateo, announcing that they will have a total of 46 SM supermalls this year.
Fr. Reyes, who accompanied Aniceto, said “the exhibit is good as we can collectively see churches in one place through photos.”
Aniceto expressed elation, saying the photos are “very good.” He added that “exhibits like this should deepen our faith in God.”
The churches featured in the exhibit are (1st District) Holy Rosary Parish in Angeles City; (2nd District) Sta. Lucia Parish, Sasmuan; St. James the Apostle Parish, Betis, Guagua; St. Augustine Parish, Lubao; and Sta. Rita Parish, Sta. Rita; (3rd District) San Guillermo Parish, Bacolor; and Metropolitan Cathedral, City of San Fernando; (4th District) Sta. Monica Parish, Minalin; San Luis Gonzaga Parish, San Luis; St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Apalit; and the Sto. Nino Chapel in Sto. Tomas town.
According to Lacson, “The exhibit is as much as a celebration of faith – in time for the Holy Week – as a promotion of tourism in the Province of Pampanga, with the magnificent centuries-old churches found in various parts of the Kapampangan landscape comprising attractions unto themselves.”
The Alliance of Travel and Tour Agencies of Pampanga (ATTAP), led by the group’s president Gilda Padua, have expressed their support to the exhibit, which, according to Padua, “is a timely event that will help promote local tourism.”
She disclosed that the ATTAP will lead tour of the old churches on March 31.
Tiotuico said the promotion of the churches “will definitely boost the arrivals at the Clark airport.” At least two airlines – AirAsia and Airphil Express – will launch local flights to four local destinations at Clark by the end of the month.
Angeles City First Lady Herminia “Miniang” Pamintuan and local mediamen supported and attended the exhibit of Alagos, Pangilinan and Lacson, who is a pioneer columnist of Punto Central Luzon.
Lacson, Pangilinan, and Alagos are members of the Pampanga Press Club. They are also members of the seven-man troop TFP or “Traveloggers Features&Photos,” a travel group dedicated to promoting tourist destinations utilizing the Clark airport as the country’s premier gateway to the world.
