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.
โWe are developing areas with tourism potential. And in developing our tourism, we start with the fundamentals - water, electricity, road connectivity, and internet connectivity,โ Defensor said.
โIt 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,โ the governor said.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐
A bulk of the assistance was allotted for tourism support infrastructure amounting to P88.780 million.ย
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; andย
- 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.
โWe 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,โ Defensor said.
๐๐จ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐
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.
๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ
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.
๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ
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)
#FunFoodieFriendlyIloilo
#morprogresiloilo
#kasadyahansakabanwahanan