INFRASTRUCTURE Agencies seek proposals for roads to tourist sites

The Technical Working Group (TWG) of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will evaluate and endorse “road projects that lead to beaches and resorts” and other tourist attractions.

Judilyn Quiachon, DOT 7 senior tourism officer, explained that the TWG will evaluate such projects and endorse them for funding, if feasible, under the DOT-DPWH Convergence Program.

The DOT-DPWH convergence program started in 2012 and has been successful in supporting the tourism sector, Quiachon said. A new convergence program of DPWH and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will finance road projects leading to manufacturing and economic zones.

These convergence programs are proposal-driven, Quiachon said, which means that any local government unit or congressional representative can propose road projects that will lead to tourism sites or manufacturing zones.

In a separate interview, Louie Ferrer, president and director of GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC), said they expect a rapid increase in domestic and foreign tourist arrivals this year. The new terminal is on track to be operational by June 2018.

GMCAC has a contract to operate the Mactan airport passenger terminals for 25 years and began managing the terminal in November 2014.