Declaration of Vigan City as special tourism zone urged
BY MAR T. SUPNAD

VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur – The city council headed by Vice Mayor Franz Ranches has passed a resolution requesting Rep. Ronald Singson (1st district, Ilocos Sur) to file in Congress a bill that would declare the City of Vigan as a “special tourism zone.”

The member of the city council also wanted that a law be enacted for the establishment of a Heritage Conservation Fund in this city by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

The inscription of Vigan City by UNESCO was initiated by Mayor Eva Marie S. Medina, who is known as the architect for the conversion of this capital city into a Heritage City, one of the few such cities in the World.

Medina had also initiated the passage of an ordinance calling for the preservation of the decades-old Spanish houses and facilities which are attracting foreign and domestic tourists to this city.

The new city legislation, which was co-authored by Councilor Ever Molina was unanimously approved recently during a regular session of the council.

Being the only UNESCO World Heritage in the Philippines, Vigan, if declared as a special tourism zone, would be able to provide tax incentives and exemptions to local and foreign tourists and investors in tourism-related activities.

Ranches said the bill seeks to specifically promote, preserve and maintain Vigan as a World Heritage Site and a major tourist destination in the country.

Funding would be needed for the implementation of programs and projects aimed at conserving and protecting the Vigan’s rich legacy of the past, the vice mayor said.

As an advocate of conservation, Vice Mayor Ranches believe that protecting and preserving Vigan is a shared responsibility of humanity, and passage of a bill Declaring Vigan as a Special Tourism Zone by Congress, through Congressman Singson, would be imperative in sustaining the status of Vigan as a World Heritage Site.