Ginintuang Pamana 2005 of the Wow Philippines as a Cultural Tourism Project: A Critique

Abstract

Our government plays a significant role in the responsible use of culture as a means of promoting our country. For one, they are the main catalyst of growth and development, economically speaking, but they could also be a destruction force in our culture if they did not pay close attention in managing our culture and arts. Given the above scenario, there arises a question as to how effective is the attempt to use the concept of cultural tourism in the "Ginintuang Pamana Program" activities of the WOW Philippines of the Department of Tourism. This paper will be written with the descriptive research design and the qualitative methods of research. The paradigm that will be used is the interpretivist paradigm. The methods of data gathering will be library research about the related literature in art and culture, and previous notes and discussions in class particularly the Arts Management subjects. The data analysis will be from the unpublished documents form the Department of Tourism (Special Projects Office) and interviews with the officials of the WOW Philippines "Ginintuang Pamana Program." The analysis was based on the following indicators: a: does it advocate cultural education, b: does it recognize our culture bearers, c: does it promote local and traditional crafts, d: does it consider our "culture base in f es ti val making. The Program is a living fact that arts and culture is beneficial in the social, national and economic transformation. It was clearly established the importance and relationship between cultural heritage and national identity that will result in economic progress. Based on the in depth study, data and evaluation presented, WOW Philippines' Best of the Regions "Ginintuang Pamana" program of the Department of the Philippines generally did not meet and comply to the indicators set as a cultural tourism program, because it was focused on the income and revenues it will generate for economic purposes.