Written by Roberto Parada

The Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte was declared third runner-up among the seventy-one entries entire Philippines for the 2013 Award by the Department of Tourism in the recently concluded 14th National Topurism Congress of the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines ( ATOP )on October 2-4, 2013 in Legazpi City.

Perlas Awards is given to local government units which showed best tourism practices in different fields. The provincial government competed in the Arts and Culture Category with the 111th Founding Anniversary Celebration as the entry.

Declared major winners in this category are the Provinces of Lanao, Pangasinan and Ilo-ilo.

It could be remembered that in 2009 the Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte won in the Sports Tourism Event Category with the Siargao International Surfing Competition as the entry.

Congratulations to Mr Arturo M. Cruje, OIC-Provincial Tourism & Culture Office and to the Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte thru the leadership of Governor Sol F. Matugas.