The city government of Puerto Princesa will ask for approval from the Tourism Infrastructure and Economic Zone Authority (TIEZA) as it moves to declare the environmental estate in Barangay Sta. Lucia and Quito area as either a tourism estate or a special economic zone.
Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron said that he is looking forward to a meeting with Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Ma. Christina Frasco this week to talk about how tourism is going in the city.
“Si Secretary Frasco darating [at] pupunta sa Roxas, pero hopefully makausap din natin para ma-brief natin ng situation ng tourism sa lungsod ng Puerto Princesa para makahingi tayo ng suporta dahil yung TIEZA, gusto nating ma-declare yung ating Envi estate at yung Quito [as tourism estate,]” Bayron said during Monday’s flag raising ceremony at the city hall.
“Nabigyan ko na ng instruction yung ating city planning na buuin na yung magiging itsura ng ating document na isu-submit sa TIEZA at sa PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone Authority) para ma-accredit na tayo dahil medyo kulang na tayo sa panahon,” he added.
Aside from Frasco, TIEZA Chief Operating Officer Mark Lapid is also arriving for the groundbreaking ceremony and signing of a memorandum of agreement for a tourist rest area in Roxas town.
The mayor also said officials from the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) already had a preliminary meeting and are scheduled to fly to Puerto Princesa where they will present their scheme for the relocation of informal settler families and inspect the relocation site.
Among those who will be relocated will be the unidentified number informal settler families in Quito.
“May darating din na iba pang DHSUD officials dahil pinu-push din nila na masimulan na yung relocation natin,” he said.
Last February 1, DSHUD through Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar and Bayron has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the allocation of housing for the informal settler families in the city.
