The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) has now gone into full swing with the implementation of the tourism masterplan for the town of San Vicente, with several infrastructure development projects in place, Assistant Chief Operating Officer Atty. Karen Mae Baydo said.
In a press conference for the opening of the Paragua SanVic Surfing Competition last Tuesday, Baydo said that as part of the initial implementation of the masterplan, monument markers for the 50-meter setback easement for the long beach were already laid down, while solar street lighting and access roads for the beach are also being constructed.
“So hopefully that will also spur development along these areas because there will already be access to the 2nd and 3rd lots going to the beach and also for the public,” she said.
She added that TIEZA is undertaking the project for our access to the beach, which costs around P58 million, and our solar streetlights, which cost around P48 million.
During the first tourism investment summit held last year, Baydo showcased San Vicente as one of the flagship tourism enterprise zones (TEZs) for investment opportunities.
She added that they already have an inventory of lots in the town for potential investors to look for possible acquisitions.
“Our prime destination for the beach as our flagship TEZ is San Vicente, and we were able to present that to our domestic and international stakeholders,” she stated.
“In San Vicente, TIEZA does not own land yet; that’s why we have to match them with the private land owners,” she explained.
As part of the master plan, she said TIEZA requires tourism-related establishments that want to avail of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to register with their TEZ office in the town.
“We have business permits, building permits, and other ancillary permits. The rest of the commercial establishments are handled by the LGU, so that’s the arrangement from the management committee,” she said.
San Vicente TEZ administrator Engr. Bernard Alarilla, on the other hand, said that at the moment, Paragua Coast Town and the Savoy Hotel of Megaworld Corporation already have permits under TIEZA.
“Pagdating naman sa horizontal developments, under LGU ang permits. So halos lahat ng bago, itong Lazuli, Hotel Elizabeth, a registered tourism enterprise na namin sila, and si Cabote, nagkaroon lang ng konting problema sa landswapping, pero tuloy pa rin yung development. So tatlo pa lang ang RTE dito,” he said.
He also explained that tourism establishments constructed before the cut-off have to apply for permits with the local government unit.
“Ang nag-apply ng permits, may cut-off kasi kami with the LGU na June 27, 2019 pababa is under the LGU ang issuance ng permits, but after that, yung developments na tourism-related is under TIEZA na,” he said.
