Aurora gets P1 B for road projects

BALER, Aurora, Philippines– The government has allocated P1 billion for the construction and repairs of roads leading to known tourist spots in this province.

Michael Palispis, provincial tourism officer, said P500 million will be used for the construction of a new bypass road in Barangay Canili, Ma. Aurora town.

Palispis said P416 million would be used for concreting the 21-kilometer Casiguran-Dilasag Road.

He said the funds for the road projects would be sourced from the road convergence program of the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Tourism’s tourism road infrastructure projects. He said P230 million was allocated last year.

Palispis said the roads are expected to boost tourism, particularly in Casapsapan Beach in Casiguran, Dibutunan Falls in Dipaculao and the Bulawan Falls in Dinalungan.

“We are already one of the provinces which posted the highest number of tourist arrivals because of improved road network,” he said. 

Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said the government is spending close to P12 billion this year for road projects leading to top tourist destinations.

Jimenez said the country is targeting 10 million foreign tourists and 56 million domestic tourists by 2016.

State funding for tourist roads this year has almost doubled compared to P7.92 billion last year and P1.39 billion in 2011.

Last year, the province posted a 74 percent increase in tourist arrivals.

The number of tourists in the province reached 215,098 in 2012, up from last year’s 123,043.  

The figure was a 2,351 percent increase over an eight-year period.