More tourist sites in the country will lead to more jobs and will generate more economic activity.
This, according to Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, is the premise behind his tourism development strategy, which will focus on developing and promoting lesser-known and under-developed tourist spots in the country to enhance countryside development.
The tourism sector is one of the main pillars of Moreno’s 10-point Bilis Kilos Economic Agenda, which is his blueprint to spur economic development.
Speaking at a town hall meeting in Quirino on Friday, the Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer stressed the importance of investing in areas outside Metro Manila.
The presidential aspirant pointed out that “a peso spent in Metro Manila will not bring us any addition to our economic development because of the Law of Diminishing Returns. However, the same peso spent in the far-flung areas can create more jobs and opportunities.”
The tourism sector is one of the main pillars of Moreno’s 10-point Bilis Kilos Economic Agenda, which is his blueprint to spur economic development. Under the Manila chief executive’s economic agenda, the building of tourism highways and development of tourism circuits will be prioritized along with the promotion of sustainable tourism and event-based tourism.
“Baguio can be duplicated in Quirino. Meron pang isa sa Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac, parang Baguio din daw yon, hindi ko pa napuntahan. So, if we create those sites, marami tayong pwedeng pasyalan,” explained Moreno, under whose leadership two major tourist attractions in Manila were developed, the vastly-improved Manila Zoo and the newly-renovated Manila clock tower.
“So yung pangarap nating mag-16 million tourists (by 2028) hindi sya imposible. Mahirap gawin pero hindi sya imposible kasi malaki ang bentahe ng Pilipinas.”
In just his first term as its mayor, Manila underwent a radical facelift, with long-neglected sites like the Manila Zoo undergoing major transformations. Reopened on December 30, 2021, the world-class zoo was rehabilitated and now boasts a 30-foot waterfall in the lagoon, a big cat enclosure, a marsupial exhibit, a monkey enclosure, and a restaurant.
The redevelopment of the zoo was just one of Moreno’s Manila makeover projects. In his first months in office he personally oversaw the cleaning and clearing of Manila’s streets, and later directed the installation of lights all over the city.