House Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. has called on Filipinos and foreign tourists to vote for the City of San Fernando, Pampanga’s capital, as Asia’s Leading Cultural City Destination in the World Travel Awards.
“I encourage all Filipinos and foreigners who have visited or plan to visit our country to vote for the City of San Fernando on the World Travel Awards website and help us bring this well-deserved honor home,” Gonzales said in a statement.
He expressed pride in the city’s nomination, noting that San Fernando is the only nominee from the Philippines and one of only seven in Asia, alongside cities in China, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, and India.
“As representative of Pampanga’s third district, I take immense pride in our city’s rich cultural heritage—from the world-renowned lantern-making industry, crafted by generations of excellent Kapampangan artisans, to our historic Paskuhan Village, the first year-round Christmas theme park in Asia,” he added.
Gonzales also mentioned that, in recognition of this tradition, he filed House Bill No. 6933, seeking to officially declare Pampanga as the Christmas Capital of the Philippines. The bill has been approved by the House and is now pending in the Senate.
San Fernando’s nomination, Gonzales said, is “a shining testament to the creativity, resilience, and spirit of our people.”
He also thanked President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for his strong support of the tourism sector’s revitalization.
According to its website, the World Travel Awards are the most prestigious accolades in the global travel and tourism industry. This year’s winners will be announced during a conference in Bahrain in December.
Voting is open until August 31.
