The Batangas Culture and Arts Council officially elected two faculty members from the University of Batangas (UB) College of Information and Communications Technology (CICT) to key leadership positions during a strategic session at the Batangas Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office on May 13, 2026.
The council appointed Mr. Charles Leoj Roxas as the UB Academic Representative, while naming Ms. Bernadet C. Macaraig as the official Consultant for Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Gamification Applications for Tourism.
This dual appointment positions the UB CICT faculty at the forefront of the province’s smart tourism transformation. In their respective roles, Roxas and Macaraig will steer joint initiatives between the academe and the provincial government to develop interactive digital platforms.
By utilizing AR, VR, and gamification mechanics, the council aims to transform traditional historical sites into immersive, tech-driven experiences. This collaboration ensures that the province captures the interest of tech-savvy travelers while preserving the historical and cultural narratives of the Batangueño community.
This institutional partnership directly advances the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the lens of SDG localization, leveraging academic technology to achieve specific subnational targets:
The specialized appointments directly drive SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, specifically aligning with Target 8.9. This target mandates the formulation and implementation of policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products. By digitizing cultural assets through AR/VR, the university helps build an innovative tourism ecosystem that stimulates the provincial economy.
Furthermore, this tech-driven governance supports SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, targeting Target 11.4 by strengthening efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage. Through gamification and virtual realities, the collaboration ensures that local Batangas history remains interactive, accessible, and preserved for future generations, showcasing how digital innovation actively solves localized cultural preservation challenges.