Press Release
July 31, 2009

CHIZ: CREATE MORE JOBS BY DEVELOPING OTHER TOURIST SPOTS

Opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero yesterday said that every possible destination in the country should be promoted and developed with the same passion and effort as those being done with Boracay, Bohol, Cebu and Palawan.

"Providence has provided the Philippines with incomparable tourist attractions like its more than 7,000 islands. But only a fraction of them have been explored," he said during a recent visit to Tagbilaran, Bohol.

"Whoever becomes the next president should try to maximize our country's advantage in tourism to create more jobs and increase income from the industry," he added.

Total tourist arrivals in the country during the first quarter of 2009 reached 1.3 million, more than 10 percent higher than the 1.1 million during the same period in 2008 that a total of 3.14 million arrivals.

Tourism is expected to generate at least $6.8 billion this year, with its contribution to Gross Domestic Product estimated at 8.7 percent.

Currently, it directly and indirectly employs about 3.5 million people, or one of every nine Filipinos with jobs.

"We must focus our efforts at developing sites in areas where jobs and livelihood opportunities will matter most to the host communities," Escudero said.

He cited efforts by Governor LRay Villafuerte to develop the Caramoan islands off Camarines Sur as a premier tourism site.

"The government can help LGUs by building the necessary infrastructure that will allow easy access to places like Caramoan or Donsol, in Sorsogon, or other places in the country" Escudero said.

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