P29 B upgrades Western Visayas infrastructures--Sec. Durano
The national government is investing P29 Billion in Western Visayas to upgrade its various infrastructure projects to bolster the region's tourism industry, Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said Wednesday during the Western Visayas Tourism Forum at the Sarabia Manor Hotel.
Secretary Durano said that Western Visayas as one of the country's tourism cluster under the Central Philippines Super regions can now be pushed internationally, stressing that one of the legacies of the Arroyo administration is making Region VI a pillar in the country's tourism industry.
It may be recalled that during the SONA of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Central Philippines super region was declared as the tourism hub of the country. Central Philippines super region comprises Regions V (Bicol Region), VI (Western Visayas), VII (Central Visayas) and VIII, plus the provinces of Palawan and Romblon.
The Tourism Secretary said that Central Philippines is host to 51 weekly international flights. These include 5 flights to Japan; 16 to South Korea; 2- Taiwan; 14- Hongkong; 12- Singapore and two flights to Malaysia.
"Seven out of ten most visited beaches in the country are located in Central Philippines, and the top visited beach is here in Western Visayas," Secretary Durano said.
He further said that the once the construction of the new Iloilo Airport is completed in year 2007, the DOT "is really looking forward to this, because with this new airport we can already package and aggressively promote this part of the country to our foreign tour operators."
"Western Visayas is a tourism cluster by itself, it can now really be pushed internationally, and I can say with confidence that this region of the Central Philippines as the country's tourism cluster is boosted by its natural, cultural attributes complemented with good infrastructures," the tourism secretary concluded.
(T.Villavert/PIA)