By Germaine De Castro
Valenzuela, officially the City of Valenzuela, which is one of the most populous cities in the National Capital Region, was just once a very simple provincial town during the Spanish colonial era, but during these times, it has hugely turned out to be one of the most habitable areas, as well as among the most preferred residential, cultural, and business destinations in the Philippines.
The city has been a center of governance best practices and innovations as evidenced by having amassed several distinctions from reputable organizations such as the “Most Business Friendly Coty Award” and the Galing Pook Awards to name a few.
As far as the tourism industry is concerned, Valenzuela is a place abounded with numerous parks, wherein the most notables would be the Valenzuela City People’s Park and the Polo Park, coupled with various historical structures, such as the Museo ni Dr. Pio Valenzuela and the Arkong Bato.
With loads of local and international visitors constantly being magnetized by various well-known areas offering eye-popping features such as beaches, mountains, heritage villages, local cuisine, and many more, it is but natural for some local government units to further step up to the plate in order to entice more tourists to flock towards their vicinity.
Lo and behold, after 22 years after it officially became a city in 1998, Valenzuela finally showcased their so-called “best kept secret”, which I believe, based on observations in social media, is now the city’s most famous tourist destination.
A far cry from being a simple barangay surrounded by fishpens, which would barely make heads turn for potential tourists, on February 15, 2020, the local government officially opened to the public Valenzuela’s first fishing village, the Tagalag Fishing Village, situated at Barangay Tagalag.
This newest destination for travelers, a 2021 Galing Pook Award winner, proudly boasts of fishing resorts, a 1300-meter boardwalk, wherein you could view the fishponds while you trudge, as well as migratory birds, and several restaurants to boot, ranging from casual to formal, possibly catering to various tourist preferences. By the way, sunset viewing is great in this area.
Visiting the Tagalag Fishing Village is definitely one unique relaxing area from the hustle and bustle of the urban jungle. Since it is a fishing village, do experience the various fun-fishing activities in some establishments inside the village.
Explore Pinas!