LEGAZPI CITY, May 7 (PNA) - The Department of Tourism (DOT) said the last tranche of the P2.5-million fund assistance to the province of Sorsogon for the establishment of various infrastructure and other tourism projects, has been released earlier this week.
DOT Bicol regional director Maria Ong-Ravanilla said the grant was given under the Expanded Grassroots Entrepreneurs for Eco-Tourism (GREET) program of the DOT which had been conceived to enhance livelihood opportunities in the tourism sector.
The first tranche or half of the grant was released first week of April and used for the construction of a Wellness Center in Donsol now being managed by the local government in partnership with the Donsol Therapeutic Association.
The DOT has identified unemployed residents in Donsol who underwent skills training.
"The therapeutic training to unemployed residents in Donsol is part of the livelihood enhancement program in the tourism sector," Ravanilla said.
The present Donsol Eco-Tourism site is now the model of the PGMA's Expanded GREET project and a pilot on the Philippine Rural Community-Based Tourism by the DOT.
The Donsol eco-tourism product on Whale Shark interaction has positively changed the income capacity of the local government, the reason that Donsol is now a third class town from being a fifth class municipality.
Moreover, it has significantly increased the income of the direct private beneficiaries like Butanding interaction officers, Boat Operators, Hostelry and Food Beverages Facilities and Land Transport facilities.
Even Legazpi and Sorsogon cities, Ravanilla said, remarkably benefit in the venture with about 30 percent of the gross revenues from tourists.
Ravanilla also announced that Gayon Bicol Travel and Bath House are now operational. "Portion of the grant to Sorsogon was utilized for the establishment of Travel and Bath House," she noted.
Gayon Bicol Travel and Bath house caters to all travelers with complete amenities.
Ravanilla also said that other tourist destinations in Bicol region have been identified. "Most of them need additional fund for rehabilitation and construction of tourism related infrastructures."
"We are very strict in terms of tourism development specially when it comes to infrastructure," Ravanilla said.
She explained that several proposed tourism development projects were submitted by private companies to the DOT but some of those have been denied for some reasons.
Ravanilla cited the decision of the DOT not to allow Globe Telecommunications to undertake a submarine cable project in Dancalan, Donsol.
She said that while the project is meant to upgrade the communication technology, it would put to risk the region's eco-tourism advantage and eventually hurt the livelihood gains being provided by the presence of whale sharks in Donsol.
The Globe project does not guarantee positive or negative effect on the presence of whale sharks in Donsol waters. (PNA)