HOUSE Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday, January 27, expressed support for the proposal to create the Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay Development Authority (BLISTTDA) to develop the tourism potentials of Benguet municipalities.
In a statement, Cayetano said the proposal of Baguio Representative Mark Go seeks to centralize and oversee development efforts and initiatives of Baguio and the nearby municipalities in Benguet.
According to Cayetano, the municipalities of Benguet should be more accessible to tourists through better roads.
“With greater connectivity, there can be greater opportunities of inclusive and equitable development," Cayetano said.
Cayetano added that tourism hotspots would be harder to develop without the aid of BLISTTDA.
"Kapag ang isang lugar kasi naging magandang tourism area, nagpupuntahan o naglilipatan lahat papunta dun. So pag nalilipatan lahat, sumisikip din. Then, yung ibang areas na katabi, hindi naman nagdi-develop--parang nangyari din sa Metro Manila,” said Cayetano.
The proposed BLISTTDA bill is pending in the House committee on government enterprises and privatization.
Go’s proposal had earlier gained the support of the Senate committee on government corporations and public enterprises chaired by Senator Richard Gordon.
Meanwhile, the Speaker called on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to look into the rehabilitation of Loakan Airport.
"We hope that DOTr can look into the rehabilitation of the Loakan Airport in the city because it will ease the traffic and facilitate mobility of goods and people,” Cayetano said.
Loakan Airport, which was built in 1934, is the only airport in Cordillera. It ceased commercial operations in 1990 after the magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Luzon.
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong earlier said that PAL Express has purchased five planes that could serve Loakan airport. (SunStar Philippines)