RP invites Spain to invest in tourism projects

President Arroyo urged Spanish businessmen to invest in the country’s tourism resources.

Mrs. Arroyo made the pitch before Spanish investors attending the 2nd Tribuna España-Filipinas Forum at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino in Manila yesterday.

"We are elated that Spain is now the biggest European Union donor country to the Philippines. Thank you very much for your support. There is much the Spanish government had done to help alleviate poverty and there is much the Spanish people can do to invest in tourism resources," Mrs. Arroyo said in her speech, citing Spain’s contribution to help alleviate poverty in the Philippines.

The President noted that Spain has become the economic superpower that it is today through its booming tourism industry and the Philippines too can achieve what Spain has accomplished in its tourism industry.

"Spain is so strong in tourism and whenever I try to convince some of our provinces that tourism is their best hope for development, I always point out the experience of Spain," the President said.

"That Spain became the economic superpower that it is today from one of the less prosperous countries a long time ago in Europe (because of tourism), that can happen to many of our islands and peninsulas in the Philippines," she said.

The President said that the groundwork for the country’s tourism program was encapsulated in her State of the Nation Address last July where she enumerated the development of the country’s super regions.

She told the businessmen that Central Philippines – composed of the provinces of Bicol, the Visayas, Palawan, Romblon and the northern islands of Camiguin and Siargao – is the perfect tourist destination "where there will be a lot of tourism investments" because of the many scenic attractions in these areas.

"We identified these areas (super regions) because about 60 percent of all foreign tourists go to these areas and therefore what we need to do is to develop the capacity so that the tourists can become more comfortable and so that more and more of them can go," she said.

"Our super regions program is already in full swing in the run-up to economic takeoff. Infrastructure goes hand-in-hand with law and order to raise the ante on investments to create jobs and push quality social services to alleviate poverty and hunger in the long run," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo also urged Spain to support the electrification of remote areas in the country.

"Spain’s advances in energy technology, particularly in developing non-traditional energy sources can help the Philippine government bring electric power to all the barangays in our country to reach its goal to reduce dependence on fossil oils by 2010."

She also thanked the Spanish government for opening its labor market to the Filipino skilled workers.

She lauded Spanish President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero’s blueprint called Spain in Asia and the Pacific Plan of Action in which the Spanish government is "looking at the East to discover new potentials."

With the special ties of the Philippines and Spain, Mrs. Arroyo said the two countries can forge a stronger partnership.

The government, she said, is working hard to create the enabling environment for investors. She welcomed that the forum includes discussions on investment and tourism.

The Tribuna España-Filipinas was formed by distinguished Filipino and Spanish nationals upon the initiative of Philippine Ambassador to Spain Joseph Bernardo, in coordination with Casa Asia of Spain. It aims to strengthen bilateral relations between Spain and the Philippines in the areas of business, tourism, culture and the arts.

The first Tribune was held in Madrid last year and focused on the themes of "fraternity" as a manifestation of the special ties between the Philippines and Spain and the "commitment" to build a common feature by learning from the past.

The twinning agreement between the City Government of Manila and the Ayuntamiento de Madrid was also signed at the end of the first Tribune.

The second Tribune held in Manila emphasized trade and investment, infrastructure, energy, tourism, culture and history, role of the local government, education, development and diplomatic cooperation.