MAYOR Evelio Leonardia will present before Secretary Bernadette Romulo- Puyat of the Department of Tourism (DOT) the status of the tourism industry in Bacolod, as well as the City's tourism recovery plan to mitigate the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Leonardia will make the presentation at the Tourism Stakeholders' Meeting at the Seda Capitol Central Tuesday, January 19, organized by the DOT.
The mayor will also present the public health situation in Bacolod, and the areas of collaboration among the DOT, the City Government, and private stakeholders.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson is also expected to make a similar presentation for the Province of Negros Occidental.
Bernadette-Puyat will hold a three-day visit to Bacolod and some parts of Negros Occidental from January 19 to 21 to meet with DOT-Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) beneficiaries under Bayanihan 2, and to conduct a Tourism Stakeholders' Meeting to discuss the rehabilitation and recovery efforts to restart tourism activities.
She will also visit various farm sites, heritage houses, and food tourism areas in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental to boost domestic tourism and to mitigate the economic impacts of the Covid-19 crisis to the tourism industry.
After the stakeholders' meeting, there will be a ceremonial turnover of DOT-DOLE financial assistance for the displaced tourism workforce.
In anticipation, Leonardia held a meeting with City Hall executives, namely, Acting City Tourism Officer Sandra Ruth Sycip, Councilor Israel Salanga, chair of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Tourism; Executive Assistant Teresa Manalili, Atty. John Orola, special consultant on trade, tourism, and investments, and Engr. Loben Rafael Ceballos. (PR)