DOT: LGUs affected by oil spill to get aid

MANILA, Philippines — Towns in Oriental Mindoro where tourist sites were affected by the oil spill from the sunken tanker Princess Empress will receive assistance from the Department of Tourism (DOT).

In a meeting with concerned local chief executives on Wednesday, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco said the DOT, through the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), committed funding for tourism-related projects for each affected municipality.

“Magbibigay po tayo ng P2 million for each affected LGU (local government unit) for any tourism-related project that will fall under the guidelines of the financial assistance of TIEZA,” she said during her meeting with the mayors.

Aside from the proposed grant, Frasco said the DOT would provide training for affected tourism workers in Gloria, Pinamalayan, Naujan, San Teodoro, Pola, Bulalacao and Mansalay towns as well as in Calapan City.

Frasco stressed the need to “balance the need to manage the crisis and ensure that livelihood and employment continue.”

Around 64 tourist attractions were affected and more than 1,400 tourism workers were displaced by the oil spill, the DOT said.

Frasco led the distribution of training grants for community-based sustainable tourism organizations in Calapan City, San Teodoro, Pinamalayan and Gloria on Wednesday.

The grants will enable the organizations to offer alternative livelihood, also in the tourism industry.