TUBLAY, Benguet– The municipal government is seeking the utmost assistance of the private sector, particularly the large-scale mining and power generation companies operating in the different parts of the province, to extend the needed assistance for the improvement of the necessary access leading to their established tourist spots that will help spur the town’s local tourism industry.
Mayor Armando Lauro said that it is unfortunate that the construction of footbridges leading to tourist destinations is no longer a priority by concerned government agencies that is why the local government is now constrained to seek the assistance of the private sector for the provision of the needed materials for the put up of the necessary footbridges leading to their tourist spots to entice more local and foreign visitors to consider the municipality as their must-see place not only in the province but also in the whole Cordillera.
He claimed that to be able to access some of the town’s tourist spots, there is a need for the local government to build the appropriate footbridges to ease the burden from tourists and going to and from the said destinations but the local government cannot afford to provide the funding for such infrastructures considering its limited resources being a fifth-class municipality.
“We hope that our mining and power generation companies will be able to provide us with the needed materials for the construction of footbridges leading to our established tourist spots so that we will be able to provide our tourists with convenience and going to and coming from our tourist destinations,” Mayor Lauro stressed.
Initially, he disclosed that the local government already submitted its request to the Philex Mining Corporation to provide whatever available materials that could be used to start putting up the required footbridges leading to their tourist spots while a similar request is being prepared for Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company, SN Aboitize Power Benguet and HEDCOR, Inc. so that access leading to their tourist spots will be improved to allow more visitors to consider the area as a place to visit before proceeding to other tourist destinations in the province and the region.
According to him, Tublay is one of the localities around Baguio City that is getting the spillover of tourists wanting to see other scenic places within the neighboring areas that is why it is important for the local government to establish the appropriate partnership with the private sector for them to support the development of their tourist spots.
Aside from the scenic Bayokbok Waterfalls, other tourist destinations in the municipality include the Ambongdolan Caves, the organic vegetable and flower farms and other established ecotourism sites in the different barangays.
He claimed that there is a need for concerned government agencies and local governments to make the necessary representations with higher authorities to reconsider their decision not to prioritize the construction of footbridges leading to tourist destinations because there are still numerous areas in the remote villages around the country that need such kind of infrastructure tn ensure easy access, especially those areas leading to tourist spots, to help boost the growth of the tourism industry in less developed localities.
Tublay is a fifth-class municipality in Benguet which relies on agriculture and tourism as two of its primary industries that are expected to spur the growth of the local economy.
By HENT
Photo courtesy of Merfred Belino