Cebu on list of best beaches

CEBU, Philippines - The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) included Cebu on its list of the best beaches in the Philippines.

In a travel article posted on its website last May 28, BBC chose the beaches in Southern Negros, El Nido, Boracay, Cebu and Pagudpud as the country’s best. 

According to BBC, Cebu is “extremely accessible” and has well known beach resorts such as Shangri-La and the Malapascua Island.

Department of Tourism regional director Rowena Montecillo said it was a good news having Malapascua Island included on the BBC list.

“We welcome the news that Malapascua is being recognized. It is an island which we can really be proud of,” she told The FREEMAN.

However, she said that the island should avoid overconstruction since it may lead to environmental destruction.

She explained that the provincial government and the local government unit of Daanbantayan should implement programs that would preserve the beauty of Malapascua.

“If it will continue as it is with the government who administers properly, we could avoid having problems later on related to water and wastes. If the construction in the place will be well-thought of and planned and not just build and build, everything will not go into waste.

And if it’s going to be implemented, a lot of investors will come in,” Montecillo stated.

She said that with Malapascua included on the BBC list, the island had surpassed the standards of the Europeans on tourism.

This good news, according to her, should serve as a marketing tool in promoting Cebu in the European market.

“It just means the Europeans or the British are going to Malapascua. They prefer quite places and this is what they like. The European market is important for us,” she added.

Montecillo cited that Malapascua Island is part of the 2012 National Tourism Development Plan of the DOT. — /LPM (FREEMAN)