PANGASINAN, Philippines – In five years, this coastal town will be known as “little Japan” when cherry blossoms start to bloom.
Josefina Victorio, tourism consultant of Binmaley, said the local government has started its tourism project called “Bloom Binmaley” last year to promote the municipality as a stop-over and excursion destination of Pangasinan supplementing the current offers of its neighboring municipalities and cities.
“We have our beach as our only tourist attraction, that was why we thought of cherry blossoms to lure more tourists into our town,” Victorio said during the KBP Forum held at the PIA-Pangasinan office on Thursday.
Some 70 saplings of cherry blossom trees were planted last year near the municipal hall and parks in the Poblacion area and are expected to bear pink and white flowers after six years.
“We need not go to Japan, Korea or Washington D.C. in the U.S. anymore just to see cherry blossoms when these trees come into full bloom,” she said.
Victorio said that Mayor Simplicio Rosario also challenged all the barangay captains from 33 villages in Binmaley to plant cherry blossom trees or any flowering plants as part of this tourism campaign.
In line with this, the local government will launch a contest in September this year to choose the “Best Barangay Bloom” which is geared towards inviting more people to come and visit the villages of this municipality.
“The winner of this contest will receive P60, 000 as prize money,” she said.
Cherry blossoms to bloom in Pangasinan town, Philippines
