TIEZA to build tourist rest areas in La Union
ANGELES CITY – The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) will build tourist rest areas (TRAs) in La Union to support the growing tourism industry in the northern region.
In a meeting with La Union Governor Raphaelle Veronica Ortega-David at the TIEZA office in Pasay recently, TIEZA General Manager and Chief Operating Officer Mark T. Lapid said they will allocate funding for two TRAs at the “Surfing Capital of the No r t h ”.
Lapid said TRA is a rest area with a showcase of local products and serves as an information center of the Department of Tourism (DOT).
The TRA program is a joint undertaking by TIEZA, DOT , and the Local Government Unit (LGU) where the tourism buildings are const r uct ed.
Lapid said TIEZA is tasked to fund and construct the infrastructure while the
DOT acts as the overall administrator of the program.
The LGUs are required to provide a 300-square meter land for each TRA.
Lapid said the LGUs are also responsible for the maintenance of the building and upon turnover, they are allowed to lease certain portions of the TRA to the private sector to recoup maintenance costs.
DOT Secretary Ma. Esperanza Christina C. Frasco earlier announced that LGUs can avail of incentives for maintaining the TRAs.
DOT has set a specific criteria to ascertain the proper maintenance of the facility.
LGUs that will be
able to comply with 90% of the criteria set as targets by the DOT will be given financial incentive or projects.
The DOT regional offices conduct periodic assessment and monitoring of the TRAs.
TRAs are already established in Ilocos Norte, Cebu, Palawan, Bohol, Samal Island, and
Bukidnon.
Lapid said their next phase will cover Iloilo, Boracay, Batanes, TawiTawi, Sulu, Zamboanga Sibugay, Occidental Mindoro, and Baguio.
Ortega-David thanked TIEZA and Lapid for supporting La Union even as she cited the impact of these tourism infrastructure in their local
economy.
The TRAs for La
Union are only a few of the projects that TIEZA plans for the province.
The agency is keen on supporting the province’s master development plan for tourism that is expected to further unlock the economic potential of the northern region. (By Minerva
Zam or a-Ar ceo)