• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Department of Tourism (DOT) has identified Victorias City in Negros Occidental as among the 15 local government units (LGUs) that will get a combined tourism funding worth P180 million under its new Tourism Champions Challenge (TCC) initiative.
In a statement, the DOT said the 15 LGUs were shortlisted from 90 LGUs from across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, that submitted a total of 98 proposals.
The proposals underwent a rigorous evaluation process, with its “knowledge partner” PricewaterhouseCoopers Philippines (PWC) providing expert insight.
Victorias City’s proposal, ‘A Birder’s Paradise’ in Gawahon Eco-Park, is among the overall Top 15 LGU tourism proposals in the Philippines, alongside being in the Top 5 in Visayas ,which includes Badian of Cebu, Panay of Capiz, Silago of Southern Leyte, and Tubigon of Bohol.
A statement issued by the Victorias City Public Information Office said the winning project proposal of the City aims to develop a birdwatching site in Gawahon Eco-Park which will create a suitable environment for various bird species and provide enhanced amenities and infrastructures to cater to birdwatching activities.
Through the project, the city hopes to establish the Gawahon Eco-Park as a world-renowned Birder’s Paradise and a preferred eco-tourism destination in the country.
The first placer in the DOT Tourism Champions Challenge (TCC) will receive P20 million worth of tourism projects, the second placer will get P15 million, P10 million for the third placer, P8 million and P7 million, for the fourth and fifth placer, respectively, for a total of P180 million.
The proposals will be officially awarded upon approval of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) Board, through an official signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the LGUs, DOT and the TIEZA, for the facilitation of the project inauguration.
The TCC is a nationwide campaign to incentivize tourism development among cities and municipalities.
The program was launched earlier this year to help winning LGUs develop and manage tourism projects by providing funds to their project proposals, which the DOT hopes will pave the way for the Philippines’ goal of becoming a tourism powerhouse in Asia.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco underscored the need for strengthened tourism governance between and among the national government and the LGUs.
“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. early on in his administration has expressed his belief in the tourism industry’s ability to become one of the country’s major economic pillars post-pandemic,” Frasco said.
“As we pursue our plans and programs under the NTDP (National Tourism Development Plan), the DOT commits to continuing a whole-of-nation approach to tourism, with optimism that the genuine love that all of us have for the Philippines can spur a unified approach towards tourism governance,” she added.
From the identified 15 LGUs, the proposals will be ranked according to relevance and potential contribution to the tourism industry.* with PNA reports
