Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. turned over today checks totaling to P183.160 million as assistance to municipalities under his new tourism program “Fun, Foodie, Friendly sa Kabanawahanan for MoRProGRes” which aims to develop the local government units as a community venue for tourism events and activities.
The distribution happened during the opening of the Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan Food Festival at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol yesterday evening where Defensor also launched his new executive executive order instituting the Fun, Foodie, Friendly sa Kabanawahanan for MoRProGRes program designed to develop the municipalities as tourism circuits by strengthening the essential pillars such as infrastructure, public health, agriculture, and cultural heritage.
“We are developing areas with tourism potential. And in developing our tourism, we start with the fundamentals – water, electricity, road connectivity, and internet connectivity,” Defensor said.
“It can be health, it can be agriculture, it can be disaster risk management but they are all related to the development of our tourism industry,” the governor said.
𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
A bulk of the assistance was allotted for tourism support infrastructure amounting to P88.780 million.
These include the:
– construction of a warehouse in San Rafael worth P20 million;
– rehabilitation and improvement of the San Dionisio Poblacion-Conchita-Sua-Cubay Road worth P19 million;
– construction of a warehouse in Badiangan amounting to P10 million;
– construction of a food terminal in New Lucena worth P10 million;
– construction of a Hanging Footbridge in Barangays 1 Poblacion and Buga in Igbaras worth P5.485 million; and
– construction of water system at Barangay Onop, Miagao worth P3.2 million; among others.
The provincial government also earmarked funds for the establishment of comfort rooms in selected tourism establishments, highlighting the need for modern sanitation facilities in key tourism sites.
“We need to have competitive amenities if we want a world-class destination. Because there is nothing more important than clean toilets in a tourist destination,” Defensor said.
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
Moreover, an amount of P34.132 million was appropriated to boost the tourism infrastructure of municipalities.
It will be used to fund projects such as:
– restoration of the Santa Barbara Victory Plaza Complex and Football Field worth P5 million;
– establishment of a crab hatchery in the municipality of Banate amounting to P5 million;
– construction of a Green House with Tourist Reception at Barangay Alabidhan, Bingawan amounting to P4.5 million;
– support to the bamboo industry of Maasin, Tubungan, and Concepcion totaling to P4 million;
– improvement and rehabilitation of the Oton Batiano River for P1.132 million; among others.
𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭
To strengthen the towns’ disaster preparedness, the Iloilo provincial government also distributed a total of P37.807 million to six municipalities namely Santa Barbara, Maasin, New Lucena, Bingawan, Banate, and Concepcion.
𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐬
Meanwhile, an amount of P22.441 million was turned over to the municipalities as support to their festivals. The 8 competing tribes received a subsidy of at least P2 million to level up their performances in the Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan Festival Competition. These are Miagao, New Lucena, Santa Barbara, Bingawan, Maasin, Anilao, Banate, San Rafael.
The assistance package also covered support to the socio-cultural activities of New Lucena, Maasin, Anilao, and Banate. (Capitol News)
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