Smart Offers "Virtual Visita Iglesia in Laguna 2021" for FREE Until April 4

 


With the new bout of quarantine restrictions entailed by the sudden surge of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, thousands of Catholic devotees in Metro Manila and nearby provinces will once again miss their traditional Holy Week activities for the second year in a row. 


Among these activities include the annual Visita Iglesia where Filipinos visit 7 to 14 churches to pray the Stations of the Cross, some going on a pilgrimage in provinces such as Laguna which has over 86 Catholic churches in various municipalities. 


This Holy Week, Filipinos can visit Laguna's historic churches while staying in the safety of their home via the Virtual Visita Iglesia in Laguna 2021, a joint project of the Provincial Government of Laguna, the Laguna Tourism Culture Arts and Trade Office (LTCATO), the Diocese of San Pablo, and Laguna-based startup Virtual Reality Travel, with Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart). 


The Virtual Visita Iglesia in Laguna 2021 allows devotees to listen to prayers while virtually touring the interiors of Laguna churches and viewing the retablos, images of saints, mural paintings, and other religious artifacts. 


Enabling the virtual reality experience is Smart's LTE network with its strong presence from Batanes to Sulu, including across all of Laguna's 30 municipalities. As part of Smart's continuous network expansion and upgrade efforts, it has also fired up Smart 5G sites in Laguna, especially in San Pedro, Biñan, and Santa Rosa. 


Smart and TNT subscribers can access Virtual Visita Iglesia in Laguna 2021 for free until Easter Sunday, April 4, by visiting http://virtual.reality.travel/visita-iglesia-laguna/


"It was providential that we were able to launch this project with our partners, especially now that Catholics are prohibited from going around and are in fact advised to stay at home," shared Msgr. Jerry Bitoon of the Diocese of San Pablo who provided spiritual guidance to the project especially when it came to the prayers, identifying the churces for inclusion to the virtual tour, and facilitating access to these churches.


Laguna has a lot of beautiful churches, and we are happy that this platform makes it possible for people to visit these churches," Msgr. Jerry added. "Visita Iglesia is something very close to the heart of Catholics, especially during Holy Week. With this project, they will be able to fulfill their devotion while staying safe amid the pandemic."


To inform parishioners, churches are putting up tarpaulins of the Visita Iglesia map featuring QR codes that can be scanned to access the virtual tour for corresponding churches. 


Smart has been supporting the use of technology in boosting tourism for years through its #TravelSmart advocacy and Digital Tourism Program, which are especially useful in the new normal imposed by the pandemic. Since 2012, Smart and Cebu-based media startup InnoPub Media have been developing mobile travel guides that promote history, culture, and destinations through interactive platforms that enhance the tourism experience.


Aside from this initiative with the Diocese of San Pablo, PLDT and Smart have been tapped by the Archdiocese of Cebu as its exclusive telco partners for a series of events in the celebration of 500 Years of Christianity - Archdiocese of Cebu. The companies are also partnering with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the National Quincentennial Committee (NQC) to help execute and promote virtual activities that have been lined up for the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations. 

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