Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte on Wednesday said she is drawing inspiration from Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos.
She said she was inspired by the tourism policies of Marcos that have significantly facilitated the province’s transformation as one of the top tourism destinations in the country.
As a means to promote the local tourism industry, she said she is planning to pass a legislation granting incentives to local and international artists and film producers.
“As we know her province is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country and she gave me a lot of input in crafting legislation to improve tourism here in Quezon City,” she added.
According to Belmonte, she has known Marcos for a long time since her sister Irene is also an archaeologist, just like her, and that the governor’s first cousin Eliza Romualdez-Valtos is also her colleague in the University of the Philippines’ Institute of Archaeology. Rio N. Araja
“I was particularly interested in their cultural tourism policy where they provide incentives to their local artists and assistance packages to local and international movie producers who choose to shoot films in Ilocos Norte,” she said.