Investment News

MASTER PLANNING UPDATES

Area Specific Tourism Master Plans Turned Over to LGU

The Camiguin Island and Guimaras Island Area Specific Tourism Master Plans were turned over to the Local Government Units on 25 May and 25 June 2005, respectively.

As the highlight of the Camiguin Day during the Pasundayag ng Northern Mindanao, held at the Clamshell I, Intramuros, Secretary Joseph H. Durano, assisted by former Undersecretary Evelyn B. Pantig, handed over the Camiguin Island tourism master plan to Provincial Governor Pedro P. Romualdo. Also present in the Turn-Over Ceremony were the members of the project team from the Provincial Tourism Office of the Camiguin, Department of Tourism and Philippine Tourism Authority, Department of Transportation and Communication and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

A minute of silence was requested by Mr. Catlino Chan III, Provincial Tourism Officer of Camiguin , in remembrance of Dr. Raymundo S. Punongbayan and Dr. Norman M., Tongol, both project team members from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology, who perished in a helicopter crash. In view of the volcanic origin of the island, these scientists have contributed their expertise not only in volcanology and disaster management but also in volcano - and geology-related ideas for tourism product development and enhancement.

Governor Romualdo expressed his appreciation to DOT in taking the lead in providing his province with a tourism master plan that unifies its homogenous attractions advantage in promoting the island - its volcanic origin - the Island Born in Fire.

On the other hand, the Guimaras Area Specific Tourism Master Plan was turned over by Director Edwin G. Trompeta to Governor JC Rahman mana during the Iloilo-Guimaras Day. Copies of the master plan were likewise handed to Mayor Prederito Gange Sr. (Sibunag), Diosdado G. gonzaga (Nueva Valencia) and Cynthia Terre, MPDC representing Mayor Arsenio B. Zambrano of San Lorenzo. Also presemt during the Turn-Over Ceremony were project team members from the Department of Tourism and Philippine Tourism Authority.

The master plan of Guimaras Island espouses the agri-tourism development and concept which integrates and harmonizes recreation, leisure, and learning activities in an agricultural setting. The role of tourism, in this instance, would be a value adding and enhancing activity to augment the farmers' income.

With the adoption of the master plans, it is expected that tourism will prosper in these two beautiful islands, with their unique characteristics, once the various programs, projects and activities are properly implemented by the respective local government units and agencies, private sector and local communities.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT UPDATES

I-SPA Conference in Singapore

The International Spa (I-SPA) Conference, the largest gathering of spa services providers and suppliers, was held at the Sundac City in Singapore on May 5-7, 2005. Director Elizabeth F. Nelle of the Office of the Product Research and Development was one of the keynote speakers from the national tourism organizations beign directly responsible for the Department's Philippine Health Tourism Program, Director Nelle's speech entitled "Islands of Wellness - Philippines" was well received and a number of participants approached her and expressed an interest in Philippine Spas. The Philippine pavilion at the exhibit area stood our because of its tropical ambiance.

The conference attracted some 500 spa owners, spa professionals, health, beauty and spa equipment suppliers, health and beauty educators from the Asia Pacific Region. The participants included 11 members of the Spa Association of the Philippines headed by its president, Ms. Kathy Palma of Nurture Spa.

At the SPA Asia cocktails in Mandarin Oriental Hotel, two members of SAPI accepted awards for best spas. These are mandala Spa in Boracay and the Farm in San Benito. Anumber of Philippines spas were also nominated for the 2005 SPAASIA crystal Awards:

SPA Category
Best Destination Spa - The Farm (San Benito)

Wellness Category
Best Wellness Center - The Farm (San Benito)
Best Medical Spa - The Farm (San Benito)
Best Hollistic Center - Mandala Spa (Boracay)

Corporate Category
Best Alternative/Complementary Health Center - The Farm (San Benito)

National Category
Spa of the Philippines - The Farm (San Benito); Mandala Spa (Boracay); Nurture Tropical Spa; Mogambo Springs at the Plantation; Suriya Spa.

The other speaker from the Philippines, Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, Vice Chancellor of Research, University of the Philippines who spoke on the Merging of Filipino Traditional Healing into Asia/Philippine Spa and Wellness also elicited a lot of interest from the participants who were hearing about Filipino healing modalities for the first time.

As a result of the success of this conference, the Department of Tourism expressed interest to the organizers to host the 2007 or 2008 conference in the Philippines (possibly in Manila or Cebu). Thailand will host the 2006 Conference.

The Spa Association of the Philippines (SAPI) delegates also proposed to hold a SPA Asia Wellness Summit in the Philippines in 2007.

The conference finally put the Philippines on the SPA map and created an interest in our country among spa loves.

TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

DPWH's Priority Expressway/Highway Projects in the CALABARZON Area

The following are the Department of Public Works and Highway's priority projects in the Cavite-Laguna -Batangas-Rizal-Quezon (CALABARZON) area:

Project: Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR)
Description: a 20 km. 2 lane highway from Lipa to Batangas City, to be opened to traffic within 1 year connection the already completed 20 km. expressway from Sto. Tomas to Lipa.

Project: Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway
Description: 7 km. 4-lane Zapote to Kawit segment

Project: South Luzon Expressway Extension
Description:
Phase I: Alabang Viaduct Rehabilitation (TRI) and Calamba - Sto. Tomas Extension (TR#) under PNCC/NDC
Phase II: Alabang- Calamba Widening and Rehabilitation. The project will undertake full rehabilitation, upgrading and expansion form 4-6 lanes of 28.6 km road.
Phase III: Calamba-Sto. Tomas Widening. Construction of additional 7.8 km. 2-lanes.
Phase IV: Sto. Tomas -Lucena. Initially two (2) out of four (4) lanes and is 56.6 km. road.

Project: C-6
Description: C-6 is part of the PNCC franchise,. It is a 48 km. four-lane tollway that will link SLE (at Alabang) and NLE (at Meycauayan), via Taguig, Taytay, Antipolo, Marikina, San Mateo, Rodriguez and San Jose del Monte.

Project: Calabarzon Expressway
Description: For feasibility study by the Philippine Infrastructure Corporation. New North-South roadline between Noveleta and Tagaytay City located west of Aguinaldo Highway with a total road length of 50 km. To provide alternate route and congestion relief to Aguinaldo Highway for commuters and industrial products.

Project: Metro Manila Skyway Extension
Description: Stage II: Bicutan to Alabang