Tourism targets: Lapu-Lapu upbeat for 2013 but problems need fixing

CEBU, Philippines - Aside from its world-renowned beaches, sports tourism is expected to be one of the major ‘come-ons’ in Lapu-Lapu as a tourist destination.

The city’s tourism officer, Hembler Mendoza, said they expect more tourist arrivals alongside the number of sports competitions the city aims to host throughout the year, but the city also needs to address prevailing problems to keep the plan on track.

Mendoza reiterated the need to immediately fix dilapidated roads in four barangays in the city, something that Mayor Paz Radaza assured will be given priority this month.

Last month, Radaza assured that the dilapidated roads in Barangays Pajac, Agus, Basak and Maribago will be fixed. Radaza said last month that the City Council has already approved a budget for road repair while the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) has also allocated funds to repair the roads in Barangay Pajac that have been affected by diggings undertaken by the contractor hired by the water district.

The first time he faced the media following his appointment as tourism officer last year, Mendoza also pointed out that narrow roads and traffic congestion are serious concerns that hamper delivery of services, concerns that ordinary residents like motorcycle drivers have acknowledged to have affected their work.

Innovations

Even with these obstacles, however, the city has found a new source of ideas to fuel its tourism initiatives.

About two months ago, officers of the city’s Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) attended two cultural mapping workshops to gather critical information that can be used to develop new tourism products. After the workshops, the delegates attended a product development seminar and visited the Bojo River in the western town of Aloguinsan to experience a living example of a successful community-based tourism program.

Among the new tourism products in the pipeline is the “Old Opon Tour,” a walking tour that traces age-old practice of the faithful in Mactan Island like the traditional “panagkot” or lighting of the candles, which is one of the most popular way of praying.

The tour will start at the Muelle Osmeña, which was for so long the main portal to the town of Opon, now a highly urbanized city called Lapu-Lapu.

Also recently, Radaza declared during her State of the City Address the opening of Olango as the city’s new tourism frontier. –/JMO