MANILA – Abra Rep. JB Bernos is pushing for the declaration of the province as a Tourism and Cultural Heritage Area to help pursue its sustainable, inclusive, and culturally-rooted tourism development.

A news release on Tuesday said that through House of Representatives Bill 3120, or the Abra Tourism and Cultural Heritage Development bill, Bernos seeks Abra’s declaration as a priority tourism development area and to institutionalize a comprehensive framework for the sector’s development.

The bill provides the policy and programmatic foundation for Abra to harness tourism as a driver of inclusive progress and rural transformation.

House Bill 3120 proposes the institutionalization and promotion of flagship events like the Kawayan Festival, which showcases Abra’s identity as a leading bamboo-producing province, and highlights the role of local culture in tourism and economic development.

Likewise mandated by the measure is the creation of a 10-year Abra Tourism Development Framework to identify tourism development zones; establish guidelines for ecotourism, heritage conservation, and cultural protection; and assess and evaluate the potential impact of the development on the environmental safety and well-being of the tourism and cultural heritage zones, communities, and enterprises, among others.

It also calls for the conduct of a comprehensive cultural mapping project, identifying sites, practices, and artifacts of historical and cultural value.

Abra boasts of attractions, such as the Kaparkan Falls, the 19th-century Baroque Saint Catherine of Alexandria Parish Church, and Tangadan Tunnel.

It is also home to centuries-old Tingguian cultural traditions, as well as weaving and bamboo crafts, which are highlighted during the Kawayan Festival.

“Abra is blessed not only with various natural wonders, but also with a rich culture and heritage that can still be witnessed in its communities to this day,” Bernos said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Naniniwala tayong angkop naman ang pagkakaroon ng special designation ng ating lalawigan, na inaasahan din nating makakatulong upang lalo pa natin maprotektahan ang ating mga yamang likas at kultural (We believe that it is appropriate for our province to have a special designation, for us to further protect our natural resources and our culture).” (PNA)