Official cites ‘comeback’ of local tourism industry

“Our tourism has had an unprecedented comeback from what was dismal during the past two or three years during the height of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.”

Thus, declared councilor Lilia Farinas in Tuesdays’ flag-raising rites at City Hall led by Mayor Benjamin Magalong and Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan. 

“We have also reinstituted the city’s income towards manageable and actually, very promising levels,” she claimed. Farinas is chair of the local legislature’s committee on tourism, special events, parks and playgrounds.

Earlier, city tourism office head Engr. Aloysius Mapalo disclosed that it is possible that the city’s tourism sector that was badly hit by the Covid pandemic can recover in two years, with tourist arrivals breaching pre-pandemic figures.

Although she admitted that some “flaws in the system like problems in traffic or the possible entry of another virus” still pose challenges, the lady official is very hopeful that solutions can be formulated to solve these.

Farinas also encouraged the public to never give up hope and patience and to be constantly in prayer since it’s  “a very powerful weapon and without it, we become powerless.”

“We will continue to experience problems which are constant in any society.  We will have conflicts. We will have trouble. But we will be patient. We will persevere through it all.

Therefore, be patient in tribulation. Because as sure as the sun rises in the morning, we will persist against all odds. That is a promise!” she stressed.

In her message, she also congratulated various government agencies and others involved in making the city’s ‘Cool Baguio Summer 2023’ program a success including the athletes and coaches of Team Baguio that was crowned overall champion in the 2023 Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (CARAA) and Regional Athletic Festival (RAF). – Gaby B. Keith