Arroyo makes a pitch for domestic tourism

Taking time off from her busy schedule, President Arroyo flew to Boracay in Aklan yesterday to make a pitch for the country’s tourism industry which is in a slump following the terror attacks in the United States and the Abu Sayyaf kidnappings.

"The good news is that there are more Boracays in our country...What is needed is for our countrymen to discover them..," she said.

"Our own countrymen will be the ones (who will) welcome us and it’s not expensive to travel. We can also help our domestic tourism," she added.

The Boracay visit was the last stop of Mrs. Arroyo’s provincial sojourn which brought her to Camiguin for the Lanzones Festival and Romblon where he inaugurated the new town of Magdiwang.

Mrs. Arroyo said though that besides selling tourism and recreation, each town and city should share with visitors its history and culture. She thus urged local governments to form historical societies.

In Boracay, the President led the ground-breaking for a nine-kilometer, P30-million circumferential road and unveiled a P800-million environmental infrastructure program consisting of potable water supply, solid waste disposal and sewerage systems. — Marichu Villanueva