CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY: Gov. Peter Unabia of Misamis Oriental signed an executive order creating the Provincial Tourism Council (PTC).
Jeffrey Saclot, Misamis Oriental’s tourism officer, said on Wednesday that Unabia signed Executive Order 20-22 to empower the governor’s flagship programs in tourism, agriculture and livelihood.
SHOWCASE OF CULTURE Clad in native regalia, a dance group from Manticao, Misamis Oriental, is among the contestants representing the 25 towns of Misamis Oriental during the launch of the National Tourism Week on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, at the Centrio Ayala Activity Center in Cagayan de Oro City. PHOTO BY CRIS DIAZ
In an interview with The Manila Times, Saclot said that the newly created PTC encourages stakeholders to participate in the development of the province’s potential tourist spots.
He said that Unabia identified six priority tourism spots in Misamis Oriental that, once developed, could perk up economic livelihood in the community.
Saclot identified them as “the Grove” in Gingoog City, the Lugait Waterfalls, the tourism complex and botanical garden in Claveria, the “Lasang” in Initao, and the agri-tourism development of the tobacco farm turned over by the Philip Morris Corp. to the province.
He said that Unabia wants to develop potential tourist spots to provide livelihood and employment in the community.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Misamis Oriental recorded 1.7 million tourists, both domestic and foreign.
“With the lifting of the pandemic, the industry is optimistic of bouncing back,” Saclot said.
The PTC, headed by Unabia’s wife Erlinda, is composed of multisector groups of about 20 stakeholders in travel and tours, hotels and restaurants, the academe and small businessmen engaged in tourism.