|
The
expensive airfares in coming to the country is a major block
that prevents the entry of tourists, according to Gov. Erico
Aumentado upon his arrival last Sunday from a six-day mission
to South Korea.
He
immediately recommended to Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to
adopt an "open sky policy" to reduce the airfares
from Incheon and Pusan to the country to make Philippine tourism
globally competitive to other destinations.
Aumentado's
first recommen-dation to the President was contained in a
two-page report he made upon arrival from Korea last Sunday.
|
|
|
Gov.
Aumentado spoke during the 15th East and Southeast Asia
International Conference held in Gumi City, South Korea.
He delivered the talk "Bringing Bohol into the
Global Roadmap: Promoting International Tourism and
Foreign Investments."
The
governor, during his mission, bagged fund assistance
for the feasibility studies of mega projects which he
earlier want his successor to work on since he will
be ending his nine-year term in 2010.
|
These
feasibility studies, once conducted before his term ends,
will be the "best gift" he can turnover to whoever
succeeds him as governor after the 2010 elections.
Five
major multi-million mega projects might be getting through
its actual drawing board after funding for its feasibility
studies were approved in principle by the Korea International
Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the EDCF-Eximport Bank.
The
fund assistance was sealed during the six-day visit of Gov.
Aumentado last week where he met with top executives of the
funding agencies.
He
told the Chronicle that KOICA agreed to grant ODA funding
for the feasibility studies of the Bohol Port to port Highway
(Tubigon-Sagbayan-Carmen-Sierra Bullones-Jagna), the Bohol
Agriculture Master Plan-Small Water Impounding Projects in
Buenavista, Danao and Loboc towns, the Panglao Island Sewerage
and Drainage System and the Bohol Irrigation Project stage
3.
Gov.
Aumentado likewise confirmed that the ambitious multi-access
Bohol-Cebu Friendship Bridge gets the fund assistance for
its feasibility study by EDCF-Eximport Bank.
The
visit of the governor likewise generated support for the setting
up of a shipyard, subject to the requirement of 200-megawatt
power plant.
He
also met Kim Taw, the general sales agent of Philippine Airlines
where he learned on the high airfare in coming to the country.
In
his same report to the President, the governor reiterated
his belief that the construction
of the Panglao Bohol International Airport (PBIA) will become
the "magnet of Bohol's faster economic development not
for tourism alone, but for trade and commerce as well.
In
his speech during the international confab, Aumentado stressed
that the success of Bohol tourism is a product of a five-year
consistent promotional efforts done through the joint efforts
of the government and private sectors.
As
a prime eco-tourism destination, Bohol is easier to promote,
the governor stressed.
Talking
like a "salesman," he stressed the incentives for
investors which include the exemption from realty tax for
seven years, 10% tax credit of total infrastructure cost,
and non-fiscal incentives through assistance by the Bohol
Investment Promotion Center (BIPC).
This
is aside from the 4 to 6 years tax holiday allowed by the
Philippine Economic Zone (PEZA) including also the special
5% tax on gross income earned, tax and duty-free importation
of capital equipment, employment of foreign nationals, special
investors' visa and incentives under the Board of Investment
Law.
|
