Tourism office focuses attention on BLISTT

TOURISM in Boracay and BLISST areas will be set into place.

Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director Purificacion Molintas said a presidential task force is taking over planning for the two sites, which were identified as “fragile” by the palace.

DOT assistant secretary for planning Rolando Canizal announced the task force for Boracay and Baguio during the Tourism Conference last month that Molintas confirmed.

Canzinal said the Boracay Task Force is set to implement the removal of over 200 illegal structures along the white sand of the island in a bid to preserve the environment and set standards for tourism infrastructure.

More than 200 illegal structures on Boracay Island, Aklan will be dismantled within the year by a multiagency task of the DOT, similar to what will happen in the BLISST areas.

Molintas said, “It will be different [in the BLISST area]. We will be meeting for a briefing for plans this month.”

Only two areas were identified as fragile by the DOT.

Molintas said the task force includes the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Department of Justice.

Focal points in tourism development will be discussed in the local briefing with the DOT and local government officials to plan out what to do with the situation in the BLISST areas.

The National Economic Development Authority will also be included in the briefing to map out economics of the planned move to set into place tourism safeguards for the key areas in the region.