Puerto Princesa enjoying tourism boom, says mayor

MANILA, Philippines - Tourism has boomed in Puerto Princesa City in just seven months under the leadership of Mayor Lucilo Bayron.

Bayron cited records of the city’s tourism office showing that a total of 367,001 foreign tourists visited Puerto Prin-cesa from July 2013 to January 2014, a difference of 11,196 to the 355,805 foreign tourists recorded from July 2012 to January 2013.

In a statement, Bayron said he suspects that politics was behind the negative reports on tourism and the alleged increase of criminality in the city following the recall petition filed against him.

But Bayron said the “demolition job” against him by his political rivals does not bother him at all, adding that he is confident that the residents have full confidence in his leadership.

Bayron assured city residents that security and peace and order would be intensified to attract more foreign tourists.