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Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Anti-terror barricades 'scare off' tourists
By Dante M. Fabian
ANGELES CITY -- Operators of establishments in the sealed off portion of Fields Avenue are pressing for the lifting of barricades that have driven away tourists from the area.
The affected businessmen asked Mayor Carmelo Lazatin to direct the police to completely remove the blockades that were placed in a designated "terror area" weeks ago.
Sun.Star Network Online coverage of the Pacquiao-Morales Sunday fight here
They wondered if the police really possess intelligence reports showing that the purported terror attacks will only be carried out within the blockaded area and not in any other place.
Last week, Vice Mayor Ricardo Zalamea said the City Council has declared the barricades in the streets "illegal" since these are not covered by any appropriate resolution or ordinance required under the Local Government Code (LGC) or Republic Act (RA) 7160.
He said there is a pending proposal to convert Fields Avenue and nearby streets into a walk-through similar to Bourbon Street in New Orleans.
However, Zalamea said the proposal has not been passed and would need public hearing before it could be approved by the City Council.
The traders also appealed to Rey Pineda, chairman of the Angeles Clark Field Tourism Association (Acta) during the group's meeting last Friday, to exert efforts to save the business of paying-member establishments from further losses due to the anti-terror barricades.
During the association's meeting, operators of bars, hotels and other establishments catering to tourists pressed Pineda to clarify the real reason for the putting up of the blockades.
The "terror threat" has affected about 50 establishments along Fields Avenue, Real Street, Raymond Street, and peripheral roads dotted with bars, restaurants, hotels, food shops, and other businesses.
Pineda also revealed during the meeting that he has been getting death threats from unknown quarters for his efforts to fight abuses perpetrated on businessmen here by unscrupulous people.
In an interview, employees of some hotels in the "terror area" said many of their guests have cut short their stay in their hotels because they feared being victimized by "terrorist attacks."
The traders prayed for the removal of the blockades and decried the slowdown in business since these were put up.
They said they have failed to send financial support to their families, mostly in Samar, Leyte, due to the steep drop in tips they usually receive from customers. (Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Bacolod. (November 15, 2006 issue)
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