Infrastructure projects to boost tourism in the country are lined up for this year as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT) continues to implement Tourism Road Infrastructure Program or TRIP.
In his presentation at the national conference of DPWH – DOT Convergence Program held at the DPWH Head Office, DPWH Planning Service Director Constante A. Llanes Jr. said that about 1,688 kilometers of tourism roads, divided to 677 projects across 16 regions in the country are programmed for implementation in the 2018 TRIP allocation amounting to P30.9-Billion.
As part of the 0+10-point economic agenda of the President Rodrigo R. Duterte administration, DPWH will continue to build projects that will promote rural and value chain development toward increasing agricultural and rural enterprise productivity and rural tourism.
Among the high-impact tourism road projects in the 2018 Program include access roads leading to Mapita Tribal Community in Pangasinan; New Clark City; Callao Caves in Tuguegarao City; Buscalan in Kalinga which is also known as the home of the last mambabatok, Apo Whang Od; Seven Cities in Iloilo; La Paz, Zamboanga City; Dahilayan Adventure Park in Bukidnon; Asik-Asik Falls, North Cotabato; and Surigao del Sur leading to the world-famous Hinatuan Enchanted River; and circumferential roads in Taal, Batangas; San Jose, Romblon; and Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) in Davao del Norte.
Coastal Roads leading to nature and marine reserves in Pasacao-Balatan in Camarines Sur; Gilutongan and Nalusuan Marine Sanctuary in Cebu; and Canopy Forest in Eastern Samar are also part of the priority projects of TRIP.
For the last 5 years, the DPWH – DOT convergence program has successfully completed over 1,500 tourism roads nationwide.