Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. eace

Introduced by
Honorable DAVID C. SUAREZ,
Honorable ANNA MARIE VILLARAZA-SUAREZ and
Honorable ALETA C. SUAREZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The town of Dolores was officially established in the year 1834. It was decided by the
provincial officials of Batangas and Tayabas, with the concurrence of bishop of Nueva
Caceres and later approved by the Gobemador y Capitan General de las Islas Pilipinas and
the Archbishop of Manila, that a town be established in the immediate vicinity of Sitio
Hambujan. The place (now Barangay Sta. Lucia) was then a famous bathing place.

Dolores lies near the foot of mystic Mt. Banahaw along the western boundary of the
province of Quezon. It is located 100 kilometers south of Metro Manila and 46 kilometers
northwest of the provincial capital City of Lucena. The closest major city to Dolores is San
Pablo City in the province of Laguna, bounded on the north by Nagcarlan, Laguna, on the

south by Tiaong, Quezon, on the east by Lucban, Quezon and on the southeast by Candelaria,
Quezon.

While Dolores is known for its shrine (Poblacion) and pilgrimage sites in
Kinabuhayan and Sta. Lucia, it is more appropriate to consider those areas as conservation
zone for spiritual tourism. It is understandable to recognize the religious and spiritual
significance of the place. Kubli and Lumbo Springs, Bangkong-Kahoy Valley (Kinabuhayan)
and Bato Spring Resort (Bulakin I) are already in-place.

Dolores is also renowned as the pilgrimage destination of the province especially
during Lenten Season having Our Lady of Sorrows Shrine and pilgrimage sites in Mount
Banahaw visited by thousands of people every year. This opportunity opens the
municipality’s tourism industry, hence direct its development thrust into Agri-Tourism.


‘The Municipality of Dolores is primarily an agriculture community engaged in mixed
farming. Farmers are also motivated to support the provincial government's initiative to
regain thw town’s glory as formerly as a major coconut producer in the country, knowing the
growing demand for coconut by-products in the intemational market.

Declaring a municipality as a tourist destination is an indispensable element of local
autonomy and industry of national interest and importance, which must be harnessed as an
engine of socioeconomic growth and cultural affirmation to generate investment, foreign
exchange and employment, and to continue to mound an enhanced sense of pride for all the
people in Dolores and Quezonians.

The municipality further recognizes that tourism coupled with agriculture, can
disseminate the value of agriculture in the economic and cultural development of the
municipality.

Mn mm

ANNA MARIE VIL! SUAREZ

ALONA Partyht
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‘A C. SVAREZ
3 PDistrict, Quezon



Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

4566
HOUSE BILL Ni

Introduced by
Honorable DAVID C. SUAREZ,
Honorable ANNA MARIE VILLARAZA-SUAREZ and
Honorable ALETA C. SUAREZ

AN ACT
DECLARING THE MUNICIPALITY OF DOLORES, PROVINCE OF QUEZON AS
A PILGRIMAGE SITE AND TOURIST DESTINATION, PROVIDING FOR ITS.
DEVELOPMENT AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

Section. 1. The Municipality of Dolores, located in Quezon Province is hereby
declared a tourist destination. As such, its development shall be prioritized by the Department
of Tourism (DOT), subject to the rules and regulations governing the development of tourist
destination.

Sec. 2. Within one (1) year after the approval of this Act, the DOT, in coordination
with the Department of Public Works and Highway (DPWH) and other concemed agencies
of the government, shall prepare a tourism development plan involving the construction,
installation and maintenance of such appropriate facilities and infrastructure that shall
improve the overall feature of the area thereby ensuring the accessibility and security of


tourists: Provided, That said development plan shall ensure the preservation and conservation
of the historic significance of the area.

Sec. 3. The DOT and its concerned attached agencies shall take immediate steps to
implement the tourism development plan that will suit the needs of the Municipality of
Dolores and shall incorporate the same in its overall development plans and programs for
national implementation.

Sec. 4. The Secretary of the DOT shall include in the Department's program the
implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act and from internally-generated funds of the DOT.

Sec. 5. Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of the
DOT, in consultation with the local government unit of Dolores, shall promulgate the
necessary rules and regulations for the proper implementation of this Act.

Sec. 6. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,