Work hard despite setback, Treñas tells tourism officials
Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Treñas has called on tourism officials and other stakeholders involved in the preparation of the city’s festivals to go on with the undertaking and make the festivals more attractive to tourists.
Treñas said he will talk with Department of Tourism officials, who are slated to present their national budget, regarding the festival preparations amid the reported huge tourism business slump because of the hostage-taking crisis in Manila last week.
The solon said the tourism sector should work hard and “move heaven and earth” to erase the bad reputation brought about by the hostage-taking incident to the Philippines.
He said the Chinese nationals should understand that Philippine authorities are doing their best and that incident is clearly an isolated case.
It is unfair if it must affect the local festivals, Treñas said.
Iloilo City is now preparing for its Dinagyang Festival and Chinese New Year Festival in January and the Iloilo Paraw Regatta in February.
Dinagyang and Paraw Regatta are both national festival winners.
Meanwhile, Treñas has filed a resolution in the House calling for the national government to fully support the program giving relevant equipment and trainings to the Special Weapons Action Team and other special police bodies assigned on risk management and hostage-taking incidents.
Treñas said the local government units support the local police, but not all LGUs can afford to buy their equipment and fund the trainings.*PNA
