THE Department of Tourism (DOT) launched the second Tourist Rest Area (TRA) in the province of Cebu in Carcar City on Sunday afternoon, August 27, 2023.
Tourists traveling to southern Cebu can now make a stopover at the TRA in Carcar City to avail of its free services including the clean restrooms, charging station and comfortable seating, to rest in between travels.
The TRA is also the third to open in the country among the initial 10 TRAs that broke ground last year.
Leading the ribbon-cutting and turnover were Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Cebu Third District Rep. Vincent Franco "Duke" Frasco, Carcar City Mayor Mario Patricio Barcenas, together with their guests including Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, First Lady Marie Louise "Liza" Araneta-Marcos, Sen. Lito Lapid, Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. and Albay Gov. Edcel Greco Lagman.
Also in attendance were DOT Undersecretary Shahlimar Hofer Tamano and Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) Assistant Chief Operating Officer Gregory Oller.
On the same occasion, Frasco also signed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) formalizing the establishment of TRAs in four more areas in Cebu as part of the initiative led by Garcia, who pledged to match the number of TRAs turned over by the DOT to the province.
On the other hand, a separate MOA was signed focusing on the promotion and development of Tieza’s assets in Cebu.
The agreement is between the DOT’s infrastructure arm and the municipalities of Argao, Dalaguete and Moalboal.
These events were held in line with the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo Festival 2023, which Carcar City is hosting this year due to the unavailability of the Cebu City Sports Center.
Stopover
The TRA is located along the national highway near the Carcar City Hall.
The first TRA was inaugurated in Medellin, Cebu on July 10, 2023, followed by the one in Manolo Fortich town in Bukidnon on August 4.
In a speech, Barcenas expressed his gratitude to the DOT that Carcar was chosen as one of the cities where the TRA was constructed to cater to tourists traveling around Cebu province.
“Isa itong malaking karangalan at kagalakan sa aming syudad na binigyan ng oportunidad at biyaya na kagaya nito,” Barcenas said.
He added that as a heritage city of the south, Carcar City has a lot to offer tourists, from internationally known food such as the lechon or roasted pig, chicharon and ampao, to colonial-era infrastructure and many more.
These products will be displayed in the TRA, adding a livelihood opportunity for his constituents.
According to the DOT, the TRA, a flagship project of Frasco, was identified as among the priority programs of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., while it is also “a convergence point that foreign and local travelers could approach to get information on tourism sites and attractions, activities, accommodations; reporting concerns related to safety and security; and gaining access to other provisions necessary during their stay at a destination, such as a clean restroom.”
The facility also has a dedicated space where tourists can buy pasalubong (souvenirs), as there will be a display of local crafts and products of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Frasco earlier announced that 15 more TRAs will be added next year to the DOT’s first batch of 10 TRAs.
The rest of the first batch are located in Samal Island in Davao del Norte; the towns of Carmen, and Moalboal in Cebu; Dauis in Bohol; Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte; Roxas in Palawan; and Baguio City.
Each TRA costs P7 million, which is funded by the Tieza.
The DOT will monitor and evaluate the development of the project, while the day-to-day operation will be taken care of by the host LGUs.
It was recently revealed by the governor that Capitol’s TRAs will be constructed in Bogo City in the north, Santander and Dumanjug in the south, and Pinamungajan in the midwest.
Cebu Province's TRAs will be patterned after the DOT’s TRAs and will have an area of at least 1,500 square meters, incorporating a tourism information center, lounge area, coffee shops, charging station, restrooms and shower rooms, pasalubong center, and a parking space.