This is the Philippines!

During the peak of the tourism boom in Albay and Tiwi in the mid 1970s and 1980s up until the early 1990s, the fame and beauty of the Japanese Garden in Tiwi was not only confined to local knowledge but was also renowned overseas. It was listed in many foreign tourism brochures and guidebooks (e.g. Japan) as a must-see in the Province of Albay for visitors.

The 1992 National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Handbook on Land and Other Physical Resources named the Japanese Garden in Tiwi as one of the premier tourist attractions in Albay, but its most notable inclusion was in a 1977 tourism book, This is the Philippines!

In the book, the author Lea T. Castelo talked about how Imelda R. Marcos’ support for the arts and culture inspired her...

“the writing of this book has been inspired by the First Lady whose consumate dedication to the development of the arts and culture in this country, in order to make it a land of vibrant and self-reliant people, is the pride of the Filipino race. Coming generations will also appreciate the wonders of their land, its history, and its destiny, from this book.”

She later expounded how “The residents’ participation in the national development came in the form of developing beaches, constructing resorts and building parks...”

And in the entry for Tiwi she described the Tiwi Japanese Garden as a —

“A beautiful place not only for the enjoyment of residents but even for tourists and domestic visitors is the Japanese Garden. This is almost a hectare in area. It was developed by the Japanese Peace Corps volunteers and landscape technicians. It is a charming blend of Japanese art and the use of native ornamental plants. Aside from its colorful attraction, the garden stands for the warm friendship of two peoples: the Japanese and the Filipinos.”