CEBU, Philippines — Cebu's tourism industry gets an added boost with the establishment of two more Tourist Rest Areas (TRAs) in two separate locations in the south.
After Carmen and Medellin in the north, the Department of Tourism headed by Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco had also identified Carcar City and Moalboal to have this TRA facility in the south.
The establishment of TRAs in different parts of the country is part of the actions taken on the directive of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to improve the country’s tourism infrastructure and enhance the overall tourist experience.
“One of the very first [listening tours] was held here in Cebu. We proceeded to the other parts of the country and the world. One of the things that were asked of us was to put a rest area for tourists here in Carcar, which really is the gateway to the southeast and the southwest of Cebu,” said Frasco.
Frasco, together with its infrastructure arm, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Carcar, officially signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to build the 8th TRA in the country in Carcar.
Frasco was joined by Carcar City Mayor Patrick Barcenas and witnesses, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony V. Gullas, Jr., representing his wife, Rep. Rhea Gullas of the 1st District of Cebu, TIEZA Assistant COO Gregory Oller along with DOT Undersecretary Ferdinand Jumapao and Assistant Secretary Kristine Vanessa Chiong-Genegobis.
“That is why we are here before the end of this year, fulfilling the commitment of our President Bongbong Marcos to enhance the entire tourism experience, to provide our tourists with not only the treat of arriving in the destination but also a comfortable and convenient journey along the way,” added Frasco.
During the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement for the Tourist Rest Area (TRA) in the City of Carcar, Governor Garcia manifested her full support on the said project anew.
“This is really something that we must congratulate her [Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco] for because in such a short span of time, she will be opening, has managed so far to open 8 or 9 [tourism] rest areas that will make a big difference to our tourists that will be going around the entire Philippines,” Garcia said.
The TRA will exhibit the use of Filipino-centric materials and design elements while providing a roof for clean and decent restrooms, a pasalubong center, a tourist information center, and a comfortable place to rest for travelers in between their journeys.
Apart from the restrooms, the TRA will also be equipped with a lounge area, a tourist information center, and a pasalubong center where local artisans can showcase their products.
After Carcar City, Frasco and the rest proceeded to Moalboal to forge another MOA with Moalboal Mayor Inocentes Cabaron.
Also witnessing the event was Moalboal Vice Mayor Paz Rosgoni, and Cebu Province 7th District Rep. Peter John Calderon and TIEZA’s Jethro Nicolas Lozada.
So far, DOT has already had broken-ground to a total of nine TRAs with the most number of the said facilities to be constructed here in Cebu.
The other TRAs already identified are in Bohol also in the Visayas, Baguio and Pagudpud in Luzon and Samal and Bukidnon in Mindanao.
With the establishment of the TRA plus the other programs like the Philippine Experience caravan, d Bisita, Be My Guest, among others, DOT raises its target of international visitors in 2023 to 4.8 million international visitors for 2023 after breaching the 2.46 million mark initially pegged at 1.7 million tourist arrivals this year. (FREEMAN)