Baguio’s tourism industry must be supported – City Official

“Tourism is the one-town-one-product (OTOP) of Baguio.  It is the one product of our city that makes it thrive, proliferate, and be the city it ought to be.”

Thus declared councilor Lilia Farinas, chair of the local legislature’s committee on tourism, special events, parks and playgrounds, during the flag-raising rites at City Hall, Nov. 14, as she urged officials and residents to support the Summer Capital’s tourism industry.

“Now that we have, more or less, gone back to our regular and usual everyday activities, and have gradually normalized from the disruption caused by the (Covid-19) pandemic, we have also opened our city to visitors and resumed our tourism activities, as well,’ she said.

She stressed, “when the pandemic came, all of us were affected, and many, drastically.  Without tourism, many lost their jobs, their sources of living, their means of income.  But now that we gained back what we have lost, let us not lose sight of what we have gained back. We have gained back our jobs, our businesses and our means of living. Tourism backs every one of these endeavors.”

Farinas claimed that with tourism, the city’s hotels, restaurants and public utility drivers are back in operation including market vendors who can now get back what they lost during the pandemic since they can sell more as compared to almost nothing at the height of the pandemic.

“Now tell me, does any of these income generating activities, which are the bread and butter of most of our constituents, compare to having traffic problems?” she asked.

Everything has two sides to it, Farinas said, “but tourism has its one side—an all win side—and a little bad side that can be solved eventually.

“Tourism is our ally and friend.  It has supported our beloved city through the years, and definitely, it will hold us high through all the years to come,” she said. – Gaby B. Keith