Tourism Infrastructure Economic Zone Authority (TIEZA) General Manager Mark Lapid himself led the opening of the newly rehabilitated Loboc Tourism Docking Port on Tuesday.
The P20million Loboc Tourism Docking Port was completed through funding from TIEZA.
Lapid also committed to the completion of several other TIEZA-funded projects such as the P50million Loboc Tourism Complex, the Chocolate Hills View Deck, and the already approved Sandugo Shrine.
Lapid congratulated LGU Loboc led by Mayor Helen Alaba and Vice Mayor Pablio Sumampong as the municipality moves forward in the tourism industry.
TIEZA’s role is institutionalized in Republic Act 9593 or the Tourism Act of 2009, authored by Gov. Edgar Chatto when he was then congressman of the first district.
The agency, an attached agency to the Department of Tourism, also funds huge infrastructure projects such as the soon to be operational Albur Sanitary Landfill Project.
It also funds several tourism highways under the DOT-DPWH Convergence Program including the Catigbian-Canmano Road project in Sagbayan; Guindulman-Anda-Badiang Cogtong Road; Cabulao-Ondol Mabini to Union, Ubay Road; Sinandigan Road, Ubay; La Union-Mabini-Cabulao-Ubay road; Dait-Cambuhat Road in Buenavista; Abatan-Agahay-Busao-Toril-Aghao road (Cabawan) in Maribojoc; Candijay-Cogtong road; Poblacion-Bongbong road in Catigbian; Balilihan-Sikatuna road; Bunga Mar-Bunga Ilaya-Kinagbaan-Laca-Buyog road in Jagna, and Owac, Dimiao-Bilar road.
Stepping down as chief operating officer to run for senator in the 2016 elections, Lapid assured TIEZA will keep its word to see through the projects, with Bohol’s own Provincial Tourism Council chairman Atty. Lucas Nunag sitting as a member of the TIEZA Board.
Alaba, for her part, expressed gratitude in behalf of Lobocanons whose stakeholders in the tourism industry endeavored to recover from several disasters, making sure that operations of the Loboc River cruise resume with available resources.
The enhancement of the tourism complex ensures revenue, employment and income generation for the municipality of Loboc. (EDCOM)