The Department of Tourism (DOT) has unveiled a sector recovery plan involving a $50-million partnership loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Palawan towns El Nido and Coron are targeted beneficiaries of the loan through improvements on tourism infrastructure and added health services.
A press release dated July 30 by the DOT revealed details of the Transforming Communities towards Resilient, Inclusive, and Sustainable Destinations (TouRIST) plan, DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat’s so-called flagship project.
According to Puyat, the plan will be financed by a loan from the ADB. Prime tourist destinations, including Palawan, are target beneficiaries of the loan.
El Nido and Coron are two Palawan towns targeted to be recipients of the project. The press release stated that El Nido will be given “technical assistance” for emergency health services. It also stated that the plan aims to “restore three key tourism sites,” but does not specify what these sites are.
Coron was stated to benefit from the DOT-ADB collaboration through drainage improvements, social enterprise support, livelihood development, technical assistance, and the development of four key tourism sites. Again, the press release did not state which sites these are.
The DOT stated that Phase One of the ADB loan will cost $50-million and is scheduled for implementation in 2021. Other tourist destinations that are targeted for the TouRIST plan include Boracay, Bohol, Davao, and Baguio City.
“The DOT continues to outline plans of action and protocols at every tourist site in the country, particularly, the premier destinations of Palawan, Boracay, Bohol, Davao and Baguio City,” Puyat was quoted as saying.
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