BONTOC, Mtn. Prov.– More than a billion worth of tourism projects under the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) convergence program continue to be implemented in the province.
In the report of the staff of both agencies during the DOT-DPWH Convergence Regional Workshop held at Baguio City on January 30, 2020, it was reported that there are three completed projects while there are three still on-going with a total worth of P1,421,800,000.
Further, the total of 51.958 road kilometers projects have the following status: 25.417 completed and 26.541 on-going.
The ongoing tourism projects are the Bontoc-Mainit-Sagada leading to Guinaang Rice Terraces, Mainit Hotspring, and Bomod-ok Falls; the Guinzadan-Cagubatan-Balili (Mankayan) Road leading to Mt. Mogao and Gawaan Lake in Bauko and Tadian; and the Tadian-Sagada via Besao Road leading to Tirad Pass View, Fedilisan Falls, Sumaguing Cave, Balangagan Cave, Ayyuweng di Lambak di Tadian Festival site, Kiltepan Sunrise, Besao Sunset, etc.
These roads were earmarked to be completed in year 2021 with additional funding allocations provided during the workshop. Only the Bacarri-Cassag-Buringal Road leading to the Little Chocolate Hills, Makilo Sphrinx, and the Mabarotbot Mud Spring was proposed for the Mountain Province Second District Engineering Office.
For the 2020, P100 million is earmarked for 2.59 additional kilometers to be implemented.
In year 2021 onwards, the amount of P1,796,879,000.00 is allotted for 45.685 kilometers of additional tourism roads.
Under the Tourism Road Infrastructure Program (TRIP) from 2012 to 2022, a total of 100.229 kilometers would have been implemented with a total allocation of P3,318,679,000.00.
For FY 2021-2022, the Provincial Tourism Development Plan (PTDP) is a new requirement as part of the pre-qualification requirements of the TRIP criteria.
Other requirements for qualification in the tourism road projects are: tourism importance, project development map, right of way availability, concept study and project profile, local development council or LGU and stakeholders endorsements, geotagged photos of proposed road projects, among others.
The new requirement is the Provincial Tourism Development Plan.
President Rodrigo Duterte was emphatic in his message when he said: “Do not start projects that you cannot finish beyond 2022”.
Meanwhile, the Department of Tourism, Cordillera Administrative Region (DOT-CAR) and the Tourism Regulation, Coordination, and Resource Generation (TRCRG) conducted a workshop on January 31, 2020 for the presentation of the training programs and policies for 2020.
Director Rebecca Labit of the TRCRG underscored the need to intensify the accreditation of tourism establishments and tour guides.
She presented the rules and regulations for the accreditation guidelines as well as the provision of technical assistance and support for tourism investments.
Rowena Lu Monetecillo, Director of the Office of Industry Manpower Development of the DOT presented the training programs of the office for the year.
Earlier, another consultation workshop was conducted wherein every province proposed trainings needed within the year. Supposedly, these proposed trainings were not all included in the training program of the agency.**Roger Sacyaten
