Over 100 delegates to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Tourism Forum visited historic sites in Cebu City in a heritage walk dubbed “Paglantaw: A Heritage Tour of Old Cebu" Wednesday morning, January 28, 2026. 

The delegates went to the Cebu City Hall where they were welcomed by Mayor Nestor Archival, Cebu City Tourism Officer Ann Marie Vestil, and tourism stakeholders. 

A few steps away is the Magellan’s Shrine where performers reenacted the first baptism  which marks Cebu as a “cradle of Christianity in the Far East.”

The delegates were ushered into the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu where several delegates lighted candles led by foreign ministers, and proceeded at the chapel where the image of the Señor Santo Niño is enshrined.

The convent and the Church of the Santo Niño de Cebu was founded by Fr. Andres de Urdaneta on April 28, 1565.

Afterwards, the delegates were led to the Fort San Pedro where they had partaken of food and delicacies that bear the culinary identity of Cebu.

The fort was built in 1565 as a military defense post under the command of Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi, deemed the first governor of the Captaincy General of the Philippines.

A Sinulog performance entertained the delegates. They rode a “tartanilla” (traditional horse-drawn carriage) from Fort San Pedro to the National Museum of the Philippines-Cebu.

NMP-Cebu is housed in the Aduana (Customs) building, built in 1910 by American Architect William Parsons. In 2004, it became the Malacañan sa Sugbo prior to its conversion as a museum.

Councilor Nice Archival, chairperson of the Cebu City Council Tourism Committee, said she takes inspiration from the global event in the crafting of ordinances that would boost local tourism further.

Mayor Nestor Archival said that the 63rd ASEAN Summit is seen to reinvigorate Cebu City tourism.

Archival disclosed that Cebu City has been left behind by other key cities in Asia, citing the low occupancy rate in hotels.

Governor Pamela Baricuatro shares in the mayor’s statement. She said that tourism in the province has not gained traction anymore since the pandemic.

Recent calamities have made it more challenging for tourism to bounce back, the governor added.

Baricuatro also pointed out that tourism in Cebu is costly, citing costly airfare rates compared to other countries in Asia.

These challenges are expected to be tackled in the summit, aside from other regional and global issues. 

Meanwhile, the Local Government Unit of Cebu City cancelled in-person classes on January 28 to January 29 in line with ASEAN Summit-related activities.