WATCH: Batangas officials hopeful tourism will recover before summer break
LIPA CITY, Philippines – The Batangas government is working on a plan to hasten the recovery of the province's tourism in time for the summer season.
The eruption of Taal Volcano in January shut down tourism to parts of Taal Lake and Taal Volcano Island, which was transformed into a virtual wasteland by ash from the eruption.
"As far as I’m concerned as chair for the committee on tourism, I want to get things done before March," Batangas Vice Gov. Mark Leviste said on the sidelines of the Batangas Economic Recovery Roundtable on February 7.
Leviste said that he is hopeful that the provincial government will launch something to boost Batangas tourism in areas outside Taal, the heritage town that is also a gateway to the lake and island.
He said the provincial government is working on a tourism plan that can ensure the safety and security of the people.
Areas outside Taal
Leviste and Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas earlier said that the province could bring tourists to other places in the province.
"This is also an opportunity for us to highlight and promote other areas... like our coastline, our beaches," the vice governor said.
He also said while the provincial government cannot yet say when the rehabilitation of affected areas will be completed, it is "working doubly hard in supporting and helping the [local government unit]s in clearing up the debris and ashes and other hurdles that may stop or discourage people from going to places in Batangas."
Mandanas also earlier said the provincial government is focused on providing residents affected by the eruption livelihood, shelter, and other assistance.
On Friday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology downgraded the status of Taal Volcano to Alert Level 2, which signifies “decreased unrest.”
The state volcanologists, however, said that it should not be interpreted that unrest has ceased or that the threat of eruption is no longer there.
- Latest
- Trending
