P13B more for ‘tourism roads’

Buoyed by record-breaking tourist arrivals, President Aquino has announced a government plan to pour P13 billion more into “tourism roads” next year that would take tourists to all parts of the archipelago.

At the groundbreaking for the upgrading of a 14-kilometer “tourism road” in Dipolog City on Thursday, the President said this would entail paving 7,256 kilometers of the national road network.

“From 2011 to 2013, P21 billion was allotted for the improvement of our tourism roads and we plan to allot P13 billion more in 2014 to speed up the flow of tourism to all corners of the country. We’re doing this to develop an industry that is now a wellspring of opportunities for our countrymen,” Aquino said.

Now that tourism was picking up, the President said the government would aggressively implement infrastructure projects geared toward bringing livelihood and development to the countryside.

“Our plan—to pave 7,256 kilometers of our national road network. And because of Secretary Babes Singson’s persistence and with the cooperation of various agencies and the private sector, we’re confident of accomplishing this fast and without ‘hocus pocus,’” he said.

Once the Dipolog City road upgrade is completed, Aquino said it would be easier for tourists to get to Sungkilaw Falls, the Cogon Eco-Tourism Park and Oisca Park.

“That means Dipolog will contribute more to reaching our target of 56.1 million domestic tourists by 2016,” he said in his speech, which was aired over government-run dzRB radio. The original domestic tourist target was 35 million but this was breached back in 2011.

Foreign tourist arrivals, on the other hand, have hit 4.3 million, nearly half of the targeted 10 million arrivals by 2016, the President said.

“So to the tourists, come let’s go to Sungkilaw Falls, but then again it may take them a week to get there if the roads are not paved,” he said.

Of the 14-km road, some P80 million was allotted for the upgrade of 2.887 km of it but the winning bidder, Vicente T. Lao Construction, will charge the government only P69 million, resulting in savings of P11 million.

This phase runs from Junction Barangay Cogon to Oisca Park (Japanese Park) in Barangay Diwan, Dipolog City.

To pave the remaining 11.113 km of the road, public works officials have proposed allocating P225 million in the 2014 national budget.

“No doubt this groundbreaking is a symbol of the positive change that our country is experiencing. Gone are the days when we could not even glimpse the glint of progress. Now we’re laying down the foundation for a country where the opportunities are equal for each Filipino, whether you’re in Luzon, Visayas or Mindanao,” Aquino said.