Valesco on Turismo y Hermanamiento en España

Bueno man tamen cay ya puede sigue el joven Consejal. Como mucho cosa puede hace cuento, ya pedi el Zamboanga Today un hora para sabe cosa el ya pasa na viaje official.

It was June 23, 2008. Councilor Rogelio "Gerky" Valesco bid his family and friends a farewell as he was joining the official delegation of La Ciudad de Zamboanga to the official signing of a twinning agreement between the cities of Zaragoza and Zamboanga. After a 21-hour trip, Valesco and more than twenty others, arrived in Madrid, the capital city of Spain.

Between June 24 and June 30, the personnel of the two cities met and conferred, and worked together for the preparations. Other city officials who are also part of the delegation followed on June 27. Finally, on June 30, the Hermanamiento de Zaragoza y Zamboanga was signed.

On July 3, Councilor Valesco and other members of the delegation flew back to the Philippines, and was here on the 4th. On the 8th, he received Zamboanga Today Editor-in-Chief Frencie Carreon for an exclusive interview.

As a sequel to Documented Features of August 4 and 7 issues, today's feature highlights the travel of Councilor Valesco as the Chairman of the City Council's Committee on Tourism Development, and the author of two resolutions, particularly Resolution No. 41 dated January 24, 2008, which sought the formalization of the agreement between Zaragoza and Zamboanga, and his responses to queries by Zamboanga Today.

INTERVIEWED BY FRENCIE CARREON
PHOTOS BY MICHAEL SAAVEDRA


ZAMBOANGA TODAY: Councilor, how was the Zaragoza trip?

COUNCILOR GERKY VALESCO: It was great. Upon our arrival at the Philippine embassy in Madrid, we immediately paid our courtesy call to the Philippine Ambassador to Spain, His Excellency Joseph Bernardo. The date was then finalized on the 30th, as this fell on Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day. It's like a Philippine Day in Spain. You know, it was a warm reception that we got at the Philippine Embassy. (Liga ng mga Barangay Chairman) Councilor Amman Abdurahman Nuño led the advance delegation being the senior member of the City council.

ZT: That must have been pretty exciting. Did you happen to meet anyone from the Spanish government in relation to tourism development? What was the meeting all about?

GV: Oh, yes. In fact, between the 25th and the 29th of June, I visited tourism offices while in Madrid and in Zaragaoza. I initiated dialogue with their local tourism officers. What was different was, in one city, they had a number of tourism offices, some of which would be considered as satellite offices within the same city. Our meetings were mostly inquiries from my part being the visitor on the start of their tourism industry.

ZT: And how is it different from ours?

GV: A lot different, because you're talking about hundreds of years. They tend to classify, although it's not a formal, categorical classification, their tourism history into informal and formal tourism. The informal tourism history that they speak of relates to the tourism advances which had been done before the tourism offices were formally established. The historical start of a formal tourism promotion and development in Spain would be about 800 years ago. That is how established their tourism department is. And this formal tourism covers organized events for pilgrimage, educational tours, leisure, and business. Aside from this, we shared and compared notes.

ZT: May I ask you to cite some of these shared and compared information?

GV: Well, Cebu started aggressive tourism campaign in the '80s. That's after they had their economic problems, and they pushed for Cebu-boom, which later was shortened to Ceboom. Zamboanga started formal and consistent tourism program in the eighties, but the initiative of the city government began during the time of Mayor Caling Lobregat, and that was 19995 onwards. Remember the Chavacano Song Festival, and the likes? That was the real start. Now, Spain per se is a medieval destination. There are many places to see: palaces, cathedrals, old churches that have been preserved all the years, passages. The country is really rich in cultural history. The old structures convey great stories. Then of course there are bullfights to speak of.

ZT: What medium did you use in your communications?

GV: Oh, Chavacano. We spoke in Chavacano. They understood us, and we understood them. I actually began with, 'Puede tu entende o comprende cosa yo ta habla contigo?' And they responded, 'Muy claro.'

ZT: Looking back at your trip in Spain, can you share your learning experiences and what are the best lessons or insights that you as a city legislator were able to gain, if any?

GV: Definitely, Zamboanga cannot compete with Spain but we can develop what we have. Zamboanga is very rich in culture. We abused our resources and did not develop our ecotourism destinations. So, in answer to your question, I'd like to share maybe three. First, it's a challenge for government to develop our rural communities. Second, we must develop our ecotourism destinations. And third, it seems to be a good idea for us to establish home stays. (A separate feature on Valesco on Developing Zambo tourism is set for publication next week.—Ed.)

ZT: What have you observed as commonalities between the two cities in terms of people, culture…?

GV: Faith is a common ground. The people in Zamboanga and Zaragoza have a common belief, and attached personal relationships with the Nuestra Señora Virgen del Pilar. The memories at the Shrine of the Lady of the Pillar in Fort Pilar and personal experiences with the Lady are what connect all Zamboangueños all over the world. Even when they have left the city or the Philippines, we still have Zamboangueños who celebrate October 12 the way we do. The Fort Pilar is like an umbilical cord for all Zamboangueños regardless of where they may be. Then, of course, our population figures are close, with ours having about 700,000, and Zaragoza's nearly 700,000. Another distinct similarity is our source of water, which is the river. We get our water from the Zamboanga watershed. Zaragoza has its own rivers which provide water to the people Now there's another thing. This is in Madrid, 'though. Madrid has nine districts. One of them is Tetuan. Zamboanga's first municipal is also Tetuan.

ZT: Now that the pact has been signed, what would you cite as the significance of the pact to Zamboanga or even to Zaragoza?

GV: Well, we may not benefit today, right away, especially with the current situation, but in the near future, we will benefit in business, trade, commerce. I'm optimistic that sooner or later Zamboanga City will benefit from the agreement.

ZT: Is there anything you'd like to share as a final note, anything on the lighter side of the trip that would be worth sharing to Zamboanga Today readers?

GV: (Pauses) Ah…there is a Plaza Santa Maria there, and I and Congresswoman Beng Climaco had a photo taken, and we were both laughing because in the delegation, and among the city's elected officials, we are the only ones from Santa Maria. And…when you go to the Palace in Madrid, there's a ceiling in one of the halls of the royalty which was somehow like the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. In the ceiling of this particular hall, you'll find the word 'Filipinas'….Then…right inside the Zaragoza Basilica, you'll also find the flag of the Philippines among the Latin countries. And this is a permanent fixture. Now, in the course of our trip, we met the Filipino community in France, and the president, Hang delos Santos, is from Curuan, here in Zamboanga City.