Tourism, agri top investments in W. Visayas

TOURISM and agriculture remain the top investment priority areas in all provinces and cities in Western Visayas Region.

This was revealed by Estela Paredes, officer-in-charge assistant regional director of National Economic Development Authority (Neda), during a news briefing on 2011 economic performance of Western Visayas on Thursday.

The region posted a 5.5 percent GRDP (gross regional domestic product) growth rate in 2010 to 2011 as compared to the national gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 3.9 percent. The region’s performance jumps higher than its growth rate of 3.7 percent in 2009 to 2010.

Paredes said the five-year regional development plan for 2011 to 2016 showcased the blueprint of economic planning and investment areas for business locators and investors.

Tourism in the region contributes more than one-thirds of tourist arrivals in the country, with a target of 4.6 million arrivals by 2016 caught by the island of Boracay.

Tourism tops in the provinces of Aklan, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental, while agricultural activities take center stage in Antique, Iloilo and Capiz.

Paredes said the five-year provincial development and physical framework plans only cover those provinces which had submitted earlier their comprehensive land use plan (Clup).

The investment priorities are tourism, aquaculture, business process outsourcing and agribusiness in the province of Aklan; agriculture for rice, muscovado sugar, fishery, micro-cottage weaving, tourism and mining for the province of Antique; cutflower and foliage production, eco-tourism, food, seafood and abaca processing in the province of Capiz; tourism, mango and cashew production, food and fruit processing, lime quarrying and processing in the island province of Guimaras; agricultural production for rice, livestock raising for swine, fishery, tourism, business process outsourcing, mining and agri-business for the province of Iloilo; and tourism, mining and agribusiness in the province of Negros Occidental. (Lydia C. Pendon/Sunnex)