THE Cebu Provincial Government will work with the Department of Tourism (DOT) to increase the number of Tourist Rest Areas (TRAs) throughout the province, as it aims to attract more visitors and promote economic growth.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia made this commitment during the official turnover and inauguration of the TRA in Barangay Poblacion, Medellin town in northern Cebu on Monday, July 10, 2023.
Medellin’s TRA is the first among the 10 TRAs in the country to be completed and inaugurated.
Three other TRAs in the province that broke ground last year have yet to be completed. These are located in Carmen town in northern Cebu, and Carcar City and Moalboal in southern Cebu.
The six other TRAs that are still under construction are in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, Baguio City, Palawan, Bohol, Samal Island in Davao Del Norte, and Bukidnon.
A Tourist Rest Area, one of the DOT’s flagship programs under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., encompasses a 300-square-meter zone with a coffee shop, pasalubong center, tourism information area, comfort rooms, and charging stations. Tourists can use the facility for free.
Garcia said the Province will match the number of TRAs that the DOT will construct in the province. The governor is the mother of DOT Secretary Christina Frasco, who recently faced criticism due to the agency’s tourism campaign “Love the Philippines” and the now-deleted tourism audiovisual presentation featuring stock footage of locations outside the country.
The official turnover and inauguration in Medellin were attended by several public officials, demonstrating support for the tourism secretary. A municipality under the fourth congressional district, Medellin is located 119 kilometers north of Cebu City.
Capitol’s TRA
Governor Garcia said that while there will be a total of four TRAs in Cebu Province, the Province will start by constructing only one TRA because the DOT has yet to complete the construction of the other three TRAs.
Garcia said Bogo City, Medellin’s neighbor, will receive the first TRA sponsored by the Capitol.
In an interview, Garcia expressed the possibility of constructing more TRAs than those planned by the DOT, as she intends to supplement the project in cities and municipalities throughout the province.
“If the mayors ask, we just cannot refuse,” she said.
The governor said that a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signing ceremony with the DOT is scheduled for August. The MOA will outline her plans to replicate the TRA project, adopting the same model and architectural design as the tourism agency.
Garcia added that the DOT will incentivize the best-managed TRA in the future, and the TRAs built by the Capitol can participate in the rewards program.
Boost for Medellin
Medellin Mayor Joven Mondigo Jr. said he is grateful that his town is the recipient of the DOT’s first batch of Tourist Rest Areas.
Mondigo said the facility will significantly boost tourist arrivals in his town, especially since many residents who lost their jobs due to the closure of sugar mills during the Covid-19 pandemic have turned to tourism as a source of income.
Manifesto
Forty-four mayors, 12 district representatives, business leaders, members of the diplomatic community, and other stakeholders signed a manifesto of support for Frasco following the tourism video fiasco.
In her speech, Frasco said she is thankful for the support she received from the Cebuanos during these challenging times.
“My grandfather, former governor Pabling (Pablo) Garcia, always used to say that when the heart is full, the mouth cannot speak. Let me begin by simply saying thank you. Daghan kaayong salamat (Thank you very much),” she said.
Frasco also revealed plans to build an additional 15 TRAs in various locations throughout the country. But she did not give specifics on the plan.