More than 150 sponsors and exhibitors from among micro, small, medium and large enterprises are expected to showcase their health products and services during the "5th Holistic Festival" to be held at Villa Jireh Japeth Holistic Resort Hotel, Bgy. Uyong, Labrador, Pangasinan from March 17-23.

Dubbed as one of the country's most promising health trade shows, an estimated 20,000 visiting health and wellness gurus/masters and enthusiasts, tourists, entrepreneurs and HRM students are set to meet in this resort known to be the wellspring of wellness, where physical, mental and spiritual recharging may be experienced.

The trade show is organized by the Villa Jireh Japeth Educational Institute, Inc. The major objectives of the upcoming event are: (1) To celebrate and continue Filipino healing traditions by promoting it nationally and internationally; (2) To support the Philippines' international campaign to become a prime destination in wellness and medical tourism; (3) To establish Pangasinan as the Holistic Healing Capital of the Philippines; (4) To build Villa Jireh Holistic Resort Hotel as the center for holistic activities in Pangasinan.

"Holistic is a kind of healthy lifestyle that caters to the body, mind and spirit of a person - the wholeness of an individual," said Helyn C. Escano, the chairperson of 5th Holistic Festival. The health acronym in this big affair stands for Health; Ecology; Arts, Culture & Sports; Livelihood; Tourism & Technology; and all these for Humanity. This festival will highlight the following: (1) Provide public awareness about holistic concept and implementation; (2) Talks and discussion about health/ wellness, herbal medicines, organic foods, ecology, entrepreneurship and other ways to be healthy and productive; (3) Exhibit of holistic art, health, wellness and beauty products; (4) Showcase traditional and complementary modalities and technologies such as Hilot Pinoy and other modern spa services; (5) Environmental and ecological ways to promote livelihood opportunities and sustainable development to the people of Pangasinan and its community.

"During the past festivals and wellness programs that we had, we can say that we brought impact to the lives of the participants and the Pangasinan community such as: heightened public awareness to promote healthy lifestyle habit; inhabitants became more productive utilizing the eco-waste and people here became more motivated to look for livelihood thus poverty alleviation is achieved; tie-ups with farmers to continue planting herbal vegetation and instill organic farming/ production as a better healthy option and other avenue to increase income," said Escano, who is also the president of Villa Jireh Japeth Holistic Resort Hotel.

She added:"People here became more environmentally-conscious Filipinos who partake in taking care of our coastal area and environment as a whole; it showed that there was an increased income of inbound tourism not only in Villa Jireh but in neighboring resorts and tourist spot areas of Western Pangasinan. These were just among the profound incentives that we bountifully realized."

The 5th Holistic Festival will bring more positive results not only in Western Pangasinan but in the whole archipelago. According to Escano, this will spark up domestic tourism, promote medical tourism and wellness and will encourage travel upsurge in this area. She also believes that holistic tourism is the wave of the future and Asia will be the health destination of choice five years from now.

"We want to be part of this universal effort to make this world a healthier and happier place to live in," Helyn explains in an interview. "We should go back to nature and we should all work for healing, for inner joy," she smilingly suggested.

This festival will be the grounding foundation for international participation and may start for a bigger vision towards the development of wellness, medical and eco-tourism.

This event is supported by the Department of Tourism; National Government Units - Presidential Adviser for North Luzon; Department of Health; Department of Agriculture; Department of Labor and Employment; Department of Environment and Natural Resources; Department of Trade and Industry; Department of Interior and Local Government; Department of Education; TESDA; Sangguniang Kabataan Federation; Senior Citizens Federation of the Phils.; Local Government Unit; Provincial Government of Pangasinan; Municipal Government of Labrador, Pangasinan; Barangay Council of Uyong; Private Sectors like Club Naturale Foundation – Hilot Pinoy Movement; PITACH (Phil. Institute for Traditional and Alternative Care for Health); AANI Herbal Garden Health and Wellness Movement; CHIPI (Chamber for Herbal Industries Phils., Inc); Rotary Club – Midwestern Pangasinan; Pangasinan Council of Tourism Industries, Inc.

The 5th Holistic Festival is sponsored by GR Canon Development Group Unlimited, Inc., Betterment Coffee and Special Edition (the trade event magazine). For sponsorship and exhibitors participation, you may call M-Vision Business Solutions, the Event's Marketing and PR Consultant at (02) 489-4035, (02) 456-3332, 0922-242-0896 or email at inquiremvision@gmail.com