GROUNDBREAKING ceremonies were held over the weekend for four tourist centers in central and southern Philippines, the first batch of multi-purpose facilities that the Department of Tourism (DoT) aims to establish in every region.
“The tourist rest area was conceptualized in fulfillment of one of our objectives in the Department of Tourism to ensure that we equalize tourism promotion and development not only in the key destinations within the country but also to lesser-known areas that have great potential for tourism development,” Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco said during the ceremony in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon in Mindanao.
Similar events followed in Samal, an island province in southern Mindanao, and in the towns of Carmen and Medellin in Cebu.
Each “Tourist Rest Area” will have toilets, coffee shop, store for local goods, charging station, and information kiosk.
The facilities will be funded by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), managed by the host local government unit (LGU), and monitored by the Department of Tourism.
“The Tourist Rest Area is not just about clean restrooms… (these) are grounded on seamless travel and convenience to tourists, job generation to those who will be servicing the rest areas and promotion of local products coming from surrounding localities,” said TIEZA Chief Operating Officer Mark T. Lapid.
Ms. Frasco said there will also be a reward system to ensure proper maintenance of the facilities.
“We will have a criteria for the maintenance of the tourist rest area to be monitored by our regional office. If the LGU reaches 90% of this criteria, then we will give a prize to the LGU by way of project or financial incentive and that is how we will ensure that the tourism rest area will be properly maintained,” she said.
The Tourism department is aiming to launch another seven centers before yearend, including in Baguio City, Bohol, and Ilocos. — MSJ