IBC commits to assist gov't in tourism development

Business leaders from various parts of the country recently signed an agreement to “closely participate, coordinate and assist the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) and the Department of Tourism (DoT) to identify infrastructure gaps necessary to boost access to tourism destinations.”

Said commitment was sealed with the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation for the Partnership for Better Infrastructure facilitated by the Research of Education and Institutional Development (REID) Foundation and supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through The Asia Foundation.

Iloilo Business Club (IBC) Executive Director Lea Lara, executive director of the Iloilo Business Club (IBC) which hosted the historic signing, said the IBC and the Metro Angeles Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc (MACCII) are two of the pilot recipients of the REID’s flagship project.

Following the signing of said MoC, the project has been expanded to cover the Palawan Tourism Council (PTC), Cebu Business Club (CBC), Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII) and the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc (BCCII).

Lara said “Those organizations are happy with Iloilo’s performance in this aspect and that’s why they have chosen Iloilo for the launch of this partnership,” she said. “These business groups will also go through the same process we went through and help government idenfity the infrastructure projects (for tourism) that are certain to yield significant economic impact.”

She said the aim of such cooperative move is to make an impact on the partnership among sectors to rally their efforts in calling for the realization of quality infrastructure projects benefiting the tourism sector.

Signatories to the MoC were Dr. Emilio Antonio Jr., chairman, REID Foundation; REID president, Prof. Enrico Basilio; Nick Gitsis of the PTC; Juan Jose Jamora, IBC chairman; Gordon Allan Joseph of the CBC; Dr. Maria Lourdes Monteverde, president of the DCCII, Atty. Lucas Nuñag of the BCCII and Dr. Francisco Villanueva representing the MACCII.

Source = mb.com.ph