Pinatubo Buried Houses - creating a major tourism product

Here's another unsolicited advice. This time for the province of Pampanga.

Mt. Pinatubo erupted about 20 years ago.

It is one of the very few volcanoes that almost the whole world knows.

And what (MAJOR!) tourism products can be developed out of that unfortunate catastrophy? Of course, there's the crater and the trek, plus the 4x4 adventure drive.

But what I think has been neglected or never thought of (inspite of the in-your-face opportunity) as a major tourism product are the buried houses (uhm... can I put some exclamation points?).

You see, the buried houses have great stories to tell to all the visitors. It can make the volcanic event and the lahar floods seem more personal to the tourists.

I hope there are Kapampangans reading this who have the powers and resources to make this product into a reality.

1. Find a buried house (or a village! - which is much better)

2. Dig out the dirt (or only part of the dirt) which will allow visitors to go down and enter the house. They will see up close how high the lahar was.

3. Im very sure that if properly implemented and coupled with good guiding or interpretation, this can add to the Philippine tourism map!

Anybody out there interested to take on the challenge?

Provinces & Destinations - Pampanga

Apung Iru Fluvial Festival
Apalit
The feast of St. Peter and St. Paul observed with a fluvial parade down the Pampanga River featuring decorated bancas and motorboats; culminates with the bringing of the "Apung Iru" (life-size ivory image of St. Peter) back to its shrine at Capalanagan. This particular festivity is held every June 28 – 30.

Candaba Swamp
Candaba
The large wetland is one of the major stop-over points for the migratory birds using the Asian Flyway.

Clark Special Economic Zone
Clark Field, Angeles City
This former U.S. Air Force Base was once the biggest American military installation outside the United States . It served as the home of the U.S. 13th Air Force and the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing. Among the many places of interest inside are the Base Cemetery and the number of tourist and recreation facilities.

Cutud Lenten Rites
Cutud, San Pedro, San Fernando
Re-enactment of Christ's passion which is held every Good Friday culminating with the actual nailing of at least three flagellants on wooden crosses atop a makeshift Calvary .

Furniture and Woodcarving Industry
Lubao
Woodcarving is one of the oldest enterprises in the town of Lubao and the people have become skilled in the art of woodcarving.

Giant Lantern Festival
San Fernando
The Festival is a showcase of giant lanterns made of colored crepe and Japanese paper, with frames of intricate tinwires, containing electrical mechanisms and thousands of lightbulbs. The lanterns dance, blink, and twinkle in kaleidoscopic patterns in cadence. The culmination of the event is held every 4 th week of December.

Kamikaze East Airfield
Mabalacat
It is from this airfield that the first Kamikaze pilots took off for their last mission as the official human bombs on October 1944.

Mt. Arayat National Park
Arayat and Magalang
The 3,564-feet high mountain at Barrio Bano, Arayat is a favorite destination among domestic tourists and picnickers. One feels the cool breeze even on a hot summer day, and from a hundred springs flow clear and cool water that runs down the mountainside to a public resort facility located at the foot of the mountain.

St. Peter's Shrine
Apalit
Permanent residence of a life-size ivory image of St. Peter called "Apung Iru" by the townspeople.

Brochure - Abe's Farm, Pampanga

Brochure - Clearwater Country Club, Clark Ecozone