The four recently declared new tourist destinations in Nueva Ecija and Ilocos Sur are slated to receive significant attention and assistance on infrastructure, Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat has assured.
“It’s written in the law that TIEZA should be actively helping the local government draft tourism plans because tourism is not only on the national government but also in tandem with the local government unit,” Romulo-Puyat said.
“We will actively help in the infrastructure.”
“So we will actively help in the infrastructure,” the tourism chief added.
On August 22, President Rodrigo Duterte signed four laws declaring the Candon City ecotourism zone in Candon, the Pinsal Falls in Santa Maria, the Santiago Cove in Santiago, all in Ilocos Sur, and Mount Bulaylay in Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija as tourist destinations.
Under the laws, the DOT, in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways and other concerned agencies will be tasked to prepare a tourism development plan “involving the construction, installation, and maintenance of such appropriate facilities and infrastructure.”
“It is on track with our goal to promote lesser-known destinations in the Philippines.”
The tourism head said she was elated with the signing of the four laws as it is “on track” with their goal to promote lesser-known destinations in the Philippines.
“I’ve been in some of those places and we really need to have more infrastructures there to further promote it,” Romulo-Puyat said in Filipino.
She said these places are poised to attract more tourists as the DOT also eyes to set a carrying capacity on some of the most popular destinations in the Philippines.
“We’ll be studying the carrying capacity of El Nido, Siargao, and Bohol pero ‘di kami natatakot kasi first of all maganda ‘yong may carrying capacity para di over-tourism (but we’re not afraid because first of all, it’s good to have a carrying capacity to prevent over-tourism) and at the same time we can promote the other destinations that are lesser-known,” Romulo-Puyat concluded.