Department of Tourism (DOT) on Friday (Aug. 23), led the groundbreaking ceremony and memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing of the Tourist Rest Area (TRA) in the Municipality of Tubungan, Iloilo.
Situated in Brgy. Igpaho, the TRA in Tubungan is the first to be constructed in the province of Iloilo and the Western Visayas region.
In her address during the MOA signing program, DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco underscored the importance of basic infrastructure in the development of towns and the nation, as she had seen first hand as a former Mayor.
“Kailangan talaga ng basic infrastructure para umunlad ‘yong ating bayan at umunlad ‘yong ating bansa,” Secretary Frasco remarked.
In partnership with its infrastructure arm, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and in collaboration with local government units (LGUs), the DOT has launched the flagship TRAs nationwide. The project is part of a broader national effort to spread economic development through tourism, in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos’ vision of an enhanced Philippine tourism experience.
Secretary Frasco highlighted the significance of providing tourists with essential amenities, noting that like the other TRAs, this latest addition will feature clean restrooms, showers, and a pasalubong center to support local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“It is our hope that by way of these tourist rest areas, our tourists feel loved,” the Secretary said, emphasizing the importance of catering to travelers’ needs, such as clean restrooms, which are essential during long journeys.
The TRA in Tubungan will rise in a strategic location beside the Baldan View Deck overlooking the picturesque mountains of Tubungan, along the Tourism Road Infrastructure Project (TRIP) in the municipality. It is envisioned to serve as a rest stop for travelers engaging in popular outdoor activities in the area, such as trekking, camping, and biking, and poised to become a vital hub for tourists exploring Tubungan’s natural attractions, including caves, waterfalls, and other eco-tourism highlights.
The TRA is also anticipated to boost the local economy of Tubungan and its neighboring municipalities, as well as the nearby province of Antique.
“The (Tubungan) town may be small, but it is big at heart and even bigger in potential. And so, it is our hope that by way of this Tourist Rest Area, we continue to support the very successful tourism initiatives of the province of Iloilo and that we support the tourism aspirations of the municipality of Tubungan and its neighboring LGUs,” Secretary Frasco said.
Tubungan Mayor Roquito G. Tacsagon expressed his gratitude to the DOT for the initiative, saying that the establishment of the TRA in their municipality is a long-awaited dream finally coming to fruition.
“Nagiging panaginip lamang dati ‘yong nasa plano ng ating tourism pero we are very much thankful to the good secretary of the Department of Tourism, na nagiging totoo ang matagal na naming inaasam-asam at hinihintay na Tourist Rest Area in the amount of 10 million pesos. Maraming maraming salamat, Madam Secretary,” the Mayor said.
Governor Arthur R. Defensor, Jr. also extended his heartfelt thanks in a message read by Iloilo Provincial Tourism Officer Gilbert Marin.
“This is a historic day for all of us Ilonggos. We are very grateful to the Department of Tourism, to TIEZA, to Madam Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, for choosing Iloilo and choosing Tubungan as a TRA site in the Western Visayas region,” the Governor said.
The Tubungan TRA will also feature solar panels and rainwater harvesting system as part of the DOT’s sustainability efforts, as well as the municipality’s eco-tourism initiatives.The event was supported by esteemed officials including Tubungan Vice Mayor Leo Cezar T. Taypen, San Remigio, Antique Sangguniang Bayan Councilor Felipe Victoriano, as well as DOT Undersecretary Ferdinand Jumapao, TIEZA Assistant Chief Operating Officer Jetro Nicolas F. Lozada, DOT Regional Office VI Director Crisanta Marlene P. Rodriguez, and other provincial and local officials.
