Bohol Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado, along with other local officials of the province, expressed gratitude to the Department of Tourism (DOT) for continuing to support their island.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco recently led the groundbreaking ceremony of the Tourist Rest Area (TRA) at the historic Blood Compact Shrine and Friendship Park in Tagbilaran City.
“We are extremely proud to partner with agencies like DOT and TIEZA to promote our island paradise as a place of wonder and relaxation.”
“As the first and only UNESCO Global Geopark and regenerative island, Bohol continues to improve tourism infrastructure. We are extremely proud to partner with agencies like DOT and TIEZA to promote our island paradise as a place of wonder and relaxation,” Aumentado said, in a speech delivered by his chief-of-staff Filipina Asoy.
During the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the construction of the Tourist Rest Area (TRA), Tagbilaran City Mayor Jane Yap also expressed gratitude for DOT’s unwavering support.
“The groundbreaking is not just about constructing a facility; it is about building stronger partnerships between the Department of Tourism headed by Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and the City Government of Tagbilaran, between the local community and our stakeholders,” Yap said.
“We hope to transform this area not only into a rest stop but into a vibrant cultural hub.”
“As we move forward, we hope to transform this area not only into a rest stop but into a vibrant cultural hub, a space where our history, traditions, and local artistry can flourish for the benefit of both tourists and our very own people in Tagbilaran and Bohol,” the lady mayor added.
Bohol 1st District Representative Edgar Chatto, the principal author of the Tourism Act of 2009, described DOT and TIEZA as “strong partners” of the province.
“Congressman Edgar as a tourism development champion, greatly appreciates the hard work of the Department of Tourism, ably led by Secretary [Attorney] Christina Garcia Frasco, in partnership with the local government units and tourism stakeholders, in ensuring that tourism reaches its fullest potential, benefiting Boholanos in particular, and the Filipinos, as a whole. We are also very thankful to TIEZA represented here by Assistant Chief [Operations] Officers Gregory and Jetro Lozada for your consistent support for the province of Bohol. DOT and TIEZA have been strong partners in sustaining the province’s stature as a prime economic cultural tourism and investment destination,” he said in a speech delivered by his wife, Balilihan Mayor Maria Pureza Chatto.
Created by Boholano National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon Abueva, the Blood Compact Shrine is a tribute to the first international treaty sealed between the Philippines and Spain, depicting life-sized figures of Spanish conqueror Miguel Lopez de Legaspi and Rajah Sikatuna, the chieftain of Bohol Island, who performed a blood compact, popularly known as “Sandugo” on March 16, 1565 that signified the peace and friendship between the natives and foreigners occupying the island.
Once completed, the new TRA site in Tagbilaran City is expected to be a stopover site for tours going around the island. This marks the second TRA in Bohol developed by the DOT and its attached agency, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA).
