PGMA grooms Central Visayas for world class tourism
Philippine Information AgencyCentral Visayas' bid for becoming a world class tourism area gets a boost as President Gloria M. Arroyo unfolds a series of air, land and sea transportation mega-infrastructure projects that will link islands making travel easy and comfortable.
Among these projects is the P 4.3 Billion “Bacolod-Silay Airport” of international standards which she inspected today and hopes to be operational soon. The airport is located at Brgy. Bagtic, Silay City, more than 20 km from the province’ capital, Bacolod City.
According to President Arroyo the airport is technically capable of being inaugurated but access and diversion roads are important components of the facility that still needs to be built.
Once operational, the fees, she said, will not be increased.
The focal point of tourism in Central Visayas is Boracay that attracted nearly a million foreign visitors a year as well as Cebu City that is also the country’s top tourist destination, she said in her speech at the pre-departure area of the airports’ terminal building.
Major ports, roads, roll-on-roll-off facilities and airport projects will spur travel and tourism from Iloilo to the islands of Negros, Cebu, Camiguin- Mindanao, Palawan, Bohol and Bicol giving the area a strong pull for tourists.
President Arroyo said her program of strengthening regional infrastructure to spur economic growth is not a political gimmick but is an on-going activity that will soon usher in fruits of prosperity.
After her speech, she held a close-door conference with a selected audience composed of Central Visayas governors, local chief executives, district representatives and heads of various government agencies in Negros Occ.
President Arroyo was motored back to Bacolod City airport for her trip to Manila after the meeting that lasted for about an hour.
