The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Friday
(Aug. 23), led the groundbreaking ceremony and memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
signing of the Tourist Rest Area (TRA) in the Municipality of Tubungan, Iloilo.
Situated in Brgy. Igpaho, the TRA in Tubungan
is the first to be constructed in the province of Iloilo and the Western
Visayas region.
In her address during the MOA signing program,
DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco underscored the importance of basic
infrastructure in the development of towns and the nation, as she had seen
first hand as a former Mayor.
“Kailangan
talaga ng basic infrastructure para umunlad ‘yong ating bayan at umunlad ‘yong
ating bansa," Secretary Frasco remarked.
In partnership with its infrastructure arm,
the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and in
collaboration with local government units (LGUs), the DOT has launched the
flagship TRAs nationwide. The project is part of a broader national effort to
spread economic development through tourism, in line with President Ferdinand
R. Marcos' vision of an enhanced Philippine tourism experience.
Secretary Frasco highlighted the significance
of providing tourists with essential amenities, noting that like the other
TRAs, this latest addition will feature clean restrooms, showers, and a
pasalubong center to support local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
"It
is our hope that by way of these tourist rest areas, our tourists feel
loved," the Secretary said, emphasizing the
importance of catering to travelers' needs, such as clean restrooms, which are
essential during long journeys.
The TRA in Tubungan will rise in a strategic
location beside the Baldan View Deck overlooking the picturesque mountains of
Tubungan, along the Tourism Road Infrastructure Project (TRIP) in the
municipality. It is envisioned to serve as a rest stop for travelers engaging
in popular outdoor activities in the area, such as trekking, camping, and
biking, and poised to become a vital hub for tourists exploring Tubungan's
natural attractions, including caves, waterfalls, and other eco-tourism
highlights.
The TRA is also anticipated to boost the local
economy of Tubungan and its neighboring municipalities, as well as the nearby
province of Antique.
"The
(Tubungan) town may be small, but it is big at heart and even bigger in
potential. And so, it is our hope that by way of this Tourist Rest Area, we
continue to support the very successful tourism initiatives of the province of
Iloilo and that we support the tourism aspirations of the municipality of
Tubungan and its neighboring LGUs," Secretary
Frasco said.
Tubungan Mayor Roquito G. Tacsagon expressed
his gratitude to the DOT for the initiative, saying that the establishment of
the TRA in their municipality is a long-awaited dream finally coming to
fruition.
“Nagiging
panaginip lamang dati ‘yong nasa plano ng ating tourism pero we are very much
thankful to the good secretary of the Department of Tourism, na nagiging totoo
ang matagal na naming inaasam-asam at hinihintay na Tourist Rest Area in the
amount of 10 million pesos. Maraming maraming salamat, Madam Secretary,” the Mayor said.
Governor Arthur R. Defensor, Jr. also extended
his heartfelt thanks in a message read by Iloilo Provincial Tourism Officer
Gilbert Marin.
"This
is a historic day for all of us Ilonggos. We are very grateful to the
Department of Tourism, to TIEZA, to Madam Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco,
for choosing Iloilo and choosing Tubungan as a TRA site in the Western Visayas
region," the Governor said.
The Tubungan TRA will also feature solar
panels and rainwater harvesting system as part of the DOT's sustainability
efforts, as well as the municipality's eco-tourism initiatives.
The event was supported by esteemed officials
including Tubungan Vice Mayor Leo Cezar T. Taypen, San Remigio, Antique
Sangguniang Bayan Councilor Felipe Victoriano, as well as DOT Undersecretary
Ferdinand Jumapao, TIEZA Assistant Chief Operating Officer Jetro Nicolas F.
Lozada, DOT Regional Office VI Director Crisanta Marlene P. Rodriguez, and
other provincial and local officials.
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