Development projects to help sell Central Phils as tourism hub

Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano yesterday briefed development planners in the region on the Central Philippines tourism projects, saying selling the area as tourism hub of the country can best be achieved with the completion of development projects.

Durano, who was earlier named "Champion of the Central Philippines Super Region" by President Arroyo, enumerated these various infrastructure projects - road, airport and seaport - in the provinces of Siquijor, Oriental Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Camiguin, Dapitan and Siargao.

He said these are part of the development program for Central Philippines with funding already allocated, and strictly monitored to ensure projects would be finished by 2010.

In Cebu, these projects include improvements in Talisay-Carcar section, Cebu South road, Carcar-Toledo road, Naga-Toledo road, Cebu North road, Barili-Carcar road, Cebu South Coastal Road, Cebu North Coastal road, Dalaguete-Badian road, Toledo-Tabuelan-San Remigio road, Carcar-Santander road, Santander port and San Remigio port.

Durano explained that these projects are all ongoing in different stages and implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways for the roads and Cebu Ports Authority for the ports. "The budget support has already been committed starting 2007 until 2010. As far as the House of Representatives is concerned, the budget is already approved in the committee level and set to be discussed in the plenary soon," he added.

The total budget for all projects in different provinces that make up Central Philippines amounted to P24.595 billion. Cebu gets the biggest chunk of the funding with P12.312 for all the projects that are presently being implemented here.

According to Durano "these are strategic projects that can be done now and finished in 2010." "The only thing that can derail it is the non-passage of the budget," he added. He explained that the projects are mostly infrastructure because the main constraint in tourism is transportation, adding that there is so much demand for travel to the country, but the country still lacks the capability to accommodate tourists. - Wenna A. Berondo/MEEV