DOT, Baguio sign Tourist Rest Area agreement

The city government entered into a memorandum of agreement in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) to formalize the construction of a Tourist Rest Area (TRA) along Kennon Road near the Lion’s Head, a popular tourist layover spot en route to the Summer Capital.

The MOA was signed at the Baguio Country Club by Mayor Benjamin Magalong, DOT Sec. Christina Garcia Frasco and TIEZA Chief Operations Officer Mark Lapid, which was witnessed by Rep. Marquez Go, represented by his wife Soledad, Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan, represented by city legal officer Richard Dayag, TIEZA board members including Cordillera tourism Dir. Jovy Ganongan, city tourism head Aloysius Mapalo, and other officials..

The DOT initiated the agreement to provide guidelines for the TRA’s operation, management, and maintenance pursuant to Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s directive to improve the overall experience of tourists while visiting various tourist hubs in the country.

Around 10 TRAs are targeted to be constructed in different areas in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao by the end of this year.

Frasco emphasized the significance of constructing a TRA  in the country’s undisputed ‘Summer Capital’ in order to provide local and international visitors with convenience and a stress-free journey in the City of Pines.

Under the agreement, the TRA will house a pasalubong center, an information center, a view deck, and clean restrooms for people stopping by to witness the scenic zigzag road from its highest elevation. Location of the proposed tourist center is a titled property of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), so the latter must consent to its use for this purpose.

City Planning and Development Office  head Arch. Donna R. Tabangin disclosed that TIEZA would contribute P7 million to the construction of the proposed tourist rest area, and the local government will contribute P5 million as a disbursement for the land development.

For his part, the Mayor vowed to keep the area clean and comfortable for visitors as a common rest area in exchange for the DOT and TIEZA’s assistance in enhancing the experience of tourists.

The signing was followed by a groundbreaking ceremony at the site led by Sec. Frasco, COO Lapid, and Mayor Magalong. – Via Fronda/GBK/PIO