RECOGNIZING the province's potential on real estate property and the challenges hounding the sugar industry, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) is pushing for the development of tourism enterprise zones (TEZs) in Negros Occidental.
Lawyer Nino Aquino, manager of TEZ Regulation Department, in an interview with SunStar Bacolod at the sidelines of the investment roadshow at L'Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City on May 3, said there is no area yet designated as TEZ in Negros Occidental.
There is currently one pending application, which will be presented to the Board next week.
Though he did not divulge the name of the development yet, Aquino said it's a general leisure tourism enterprise particularly a resort type in Silay City.
"This is because we just got the revenue regulation on the later part of 2016, and we started conducting the roadshow just March last year," he said, adding that there are many pending applications but not from Negros Occidental.
The one-day investment roadshow, which is in partnership with the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Department of Tourism (DOT)-Western Visayas, is aimed at introducing TEZ to local stakeholders, especially to the private sector.
The activity also underscored ways on how to create or designate an area for TEZ, discussed what are the incentives granted to these zones, and offered investment opportunities for the investors within TEZs.
The Tieza is tasked to develop, manage and supervise tourism infrastructure projects nationwide as well as designates, regulates, and supervises TEZs.
Aquino stressed that in terms of criteria, TEZs should be environmentally sustainable.
"Thus, we make sure that the impact on the environment is very minimal. If there are impacts, we make sure that there are mitigating measures to address these effects," he said.
Potential
There are two kinds of TEZs, the private and the public or flagship zones.
For private TEZs, or areas with private individual owners, the owners are the ones presenting their development plan. The Tieza then check whether it is feasible and sustainable.
For flagship TEZs, meanwhile, the agency is doing the master development plan for the areas identified through an inventory created by the DOT and local government units (LGUs).
In Negros Occidental, Aquino said the province is a good tourism investment area mainly because of vast lands potential for real estate developments.
"We are calling on both government and private sector to look at these potentials and grab the investment opportunities within the TEZs," he added.
Alternative to sugar industry
Though sugar is still number one industry in the properties, the agency has noted that many property developments are now sprouting.
Aquino said some of the owners of haciendas and sugarcane plantations consider developing these properties into other sectors like tourism.
"With some problems hounding the sugar industry right now, TEZs will be a good alternative," he said, adding that since it backed by the government there is an assurance for its development.
Impact
In terms of impact, the agency is banking on tourism's multiplier effects.
Aquino said TEZs will not only benefit the tourism enterprise itself or the company, but also the community and the nation mainly by contributing to the inclusive growth.
This means that it helps in generation of income and employment for the community, Aquino said.
"It will also benefit the surrounding suppliers. If these tourism enterprises will put up their buildings, they will get their raw materials from the suppliers in the community," he said, stressing that tourism enterprise development therefore positively impacts economic, socio-cultural, and environmental aspects.
More aggressive
The agency has become more aggressive and active in pushing for the development of more TEZs in the country since the issuance of the revenue regulations by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
Without these revenue regulations, investors cannot avail themselves of the incentives, whether fiscal or non-fiscal.
Aquino said they are now targeting the chambers of commerce in doing regional road shows, then eventually conduct outside missions.
Aquino said the status of tourism right now is "very good" especially the branding and awareness on the industry.
"Aside from provision of grant incentives, more investors of the real estate are gearing towards tourism development that is why we are really active right now," he added.
After Bacolod City, two more investment roadshows will be conducted in Olongapo City and in the Philippine International Convention Center on May 8 and June 28, respectively.