01:15.2
And that extends to, also, in other areas, the whole-of-nation approach, because we include the private sector.
01:22.9
We include all the stakeholders.
01:25.2
But it is a perfect...
01:26.7
...example of that, because we cannot see this tourist...
01:34.7
...we would not see the success of this tourist area, the first one, without the cooperation of the different sectors.
01:42.8
Yan, DUT, Antiesa, and, of course, the local government.
01:47.3
So, we have to acknowledge the part that everybody has played to complete and to adorn...
01:55.2
...this much-anticipated, anticipated tourist rest area.
02:00.6
I know that Governor Matt is very disappointed not to have been able to join us here, as he has been looking forward to it.
02:08.4
Pero natapat lang to his schedule.
02:11.3
Meron siyang very important meetings that he had to attend out of town.
02:17.5
So, but once again, this is part, again, of a big, big, big program.
02:25.2
One of the reasons, if you remember, when I was governor here, I was, I concentrated on two things.
02:32.8
I concentrated, number one, on agriculture, because we took a survey, 73% ng Ilocano, ang kanilang pinagkikitaan ay agrikultura.
02:44.8
And I said, okay, agriculture, that is okay, that's basic, we have to attend to that.
02:49.9
But I said, but I want people to make money, I want people to have a good living.
02:55.2
And I said, the easiest return is tourism.
02:58.5
And that is why, for a very long time, Ilocos Norte was the entry point for many, many tourists that were coming from abroad.
03:07.7
And we were able to promote that.
03:10.3
And eventually, this helped not only the province, but this helped the entire country.
03:16.2
So, now, these facilities, such as this, will provide basic tourist services, amenities, such as an information center...
03:24.5
...to help our tourists.
03:25.3
Navigate the beautiful sites that we offer in Ilocos Norte.
03:29.1
We will provide, we provide clean restrooms, charging stations, a lounge for our travelers to rest and recharge...
03:36.8
...while they are going around the province and going to the other destinations that they will go to.
03:44.9
It will, it hosts a pasalubong center that features locally made products.
03:49.9
So, the products that you will find here in Pagodpud are not the same products that you will find in Palawang.
03:55.2
And not the same products that you will find in Samar.
03:58.3
It will be sourced from the locals.
04:00.9
Para naman, for example, when it comes to the food or delicacies, they can feel the difference in the cultural differences...
04:08.2
...with all of these different offerings that we can find around the country.
04:16.3
So, this TRA is an important initiative for us.
04:19.2
As we want to transform the Philippines into the tourism powerhouse in Asia.
04:25.2
We are in a very steep competition.
04:30.0
Thailand has done an extremely good job in promoting tourism.
04:36.5
Korea has done a very, very, very good job doing that.
04:42.1
Indonesia, the same thing.
04:43.7
Vietnam, the same thing.
04:45.4
And it is not, when we say tourism, we just don't go, nagsimula ito when we started.
04:52.1
The first time we started, we were...
04:55.0
Our program was the Balikbayan Program.
04:58.2
And ang ambisyon natin doon, one million tourists.
05:01.8
That was the ambition.
05:03.0
One million tourists can come back.
05:05.6
And then, kasama na doon yung mga overseas Filipinos.
05:08.9
Kaya nagkaroon ng Balikbayan Box.
05:11.3
Dahil hindi tinataksan yun, hindi tinatarif yun.
05:15.7
So, that was the come on.
05:17.5
Now, we are targeting ten times that.
05:22.1
And we have already started to approach that.
05:25.0
But there are many other aspects to tourism.
05:27.7
It's not just the beautiful beach.
05:30.1
It's not just the beautiful rest house.
05:32.2
Or the nice hotels and the resorts that they stay in.
05:35.8
But it is also the ease of which they travel around.
05:40.3
The access that we have.
05:42.4
So, kasama dyan, inaayos natin ang mga regional airports.
05:46.5
Inaayos natin ang mga puerto.
05:48.6
So that, dahil alam naman natin, Manila Airport is already very congested.
05:54.3
So, instead of having to go to Manila,
05:56.7
they will have to go all the way to Manila.
05:59.8
And then, Manila all the way up to Ilocos Norte, for example.
06:04.6
So, like in Cebu, that you already have that facility,
06:09.8
people can travel from abroad directly to Cebu.
06:13.0
People can travel, we will make it so that people will travel from abroad
06:16.3
directly to Luwag, directly to Bohol, directly to CDO, directly to Tacloban.
06:23.7
All of these other places that we want to promote as tourist destinations.
06:29.6
So, in Ilocos Norte alone, we received more than 3.5 million same-day visitors in 2023.
06:38.7
And around 515,000 domestic and foreign tourists stayed for longer in hotels and in resorts.
06:47.2
It shows that we have the attraction, we have the product,
06:50.5
and we have the people to make it happen.
06:53.7
I'm truly proud to call this land my home,
06:56.3
as it continues to draw critical acclaim here in abroad.
07:00.4
Our very own Saud Beach,
07:02.0
which is listed as one of the 25 most beautiful beaches in the world by travel and leisure,
07:07.3
is a very prestigious award from a magazine that's based in New York, in the United States.
07:14.8
It is also fitting to note that the provincial government of Ilocos Norte
07:18.7
has been able to receive not one, but two awards.
07:23.7
The Best Video for Tourism Promotions and the Best Tourism-Oriented LGU
07:28.8
at the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines Pearl Award 2023.
07:37.8
Si Jeff, nagmamalaki na si Jeff O'Connor dito sa kanilang ginawang trabaho.
07:43.3
But these are not only a testament to the beauty, the culture, the attractions,
07:49.8
and of course, the hospitality of Ilocos Norte,
07:53.7
but also the commitment of our LGUs to develop and to promote tourism in the region.
08:00.4
So, I enjoin everyone to ensure the success of our tourism initiatives.
08:05.0
Make the experience of our travelers safe, convenient, and memorable.
08:10.1
This is a great opportunity to showcase our world-class destinations
08:14.1
like Pauay Church, the Sand Dunes, Malacanang of the North, amongst others,
08:19.2
eto na nga, Saud Beach, all of these places that we know.
08:23.7
Di pa natin napag-usapan yung mga eastern towns.
08:25.7
Di pa natin napag-usapan yung mga nasa bundo.
08:28.7
I was explaining on the way here to the Secretary that we have a town, Alamst,
08:34.0
which is higher than Baguio, and it is pristine.
08:38.7
And there is availability for river rafting, kayaking, around there during the season.
08:44.8
So, maganda talaga masyadong Pilipinas.
08:49.9
Kahit isang katumingin, maganda.
08:51.9
Siguro yung mga city lang.
08:53.7
Medyo hindi kasing ganda.
08:55.8
But, once you leave the city, you see the real Philippines.
09:00.0
There is no place in the Philippines that's not beautiful.
09:03.0
So, yan ang puhuna natin.
09:05.8
Let's take full advantage of that.
09:08.3
We are now planning to, here in Region 1,
09:12.1
planning to assess, to promote the various dive destinations naman.
09:15.5
The provinces such as Pagudpud, Badok, and Curibao.
09:19.3
And we could not have a better proponent for that than our Secretary,
09:23.7
who comes from Cebu, one of the best, if not the best dive destinations in the world.
09:32.2
And she herself is a diver, so she knows exactly how it's supposed to work.
09:37.8
So, yan ang ipopromote pa natin.
09:40.7
So, we encourage the continued engagement of LGUs, DOTR, DNR,
09:47.8
who have also collaborated to safeguard, to conserve our protected areas.
09:52.6
Particularly, the...
09:53.7
Calvario Patapat Natural Park.
09:56.7
To preserve the honor, the cultural legacy of Ilocos Norte,
10:01.2
we are currently developing the Ilocos and Pangasinan Regional Historical Trail.
10:07.9
As we anticipate the influx of tourists in the area,
10:11.0
we are building more facilities to accommodate more visitors here in our province.
10:16.9
We started the construction of the Ilocos Norte Transportation Hub in February of this year.
10:25.5
we anticipate that the intermodal terminal will ease traffic control,
10:31.1
connect transportation modes seamlessly.
10:35.3
we are now pursuing the development of the Luwag International Airport.
10:39.7
The expansion of its runway and rehabilitation of the passenger terminal building
10:43.6
will allow the airport to accommodate bigger aircraft and bring in more tourists to this region.
10:49.5
We have released funds for the construction of new bridges
10:52.4
in the Panchan Dukas,
10:53.7
and via that along Manila North Road.
10:55.7
We expect that this project will provide protection to our people traversing that road.
11:00.1
All these projects are geared to expand not only tourism,
11:08.9
but the broader development of the countryside that follows a strong tourism industry.
11:15.6
I am confident that these exciting developments will become a springboard for further success
11:21.5
for tourism here in Ilocos Norte,
11:23.5
and the Philippines,
11:24.5
and from this moment onwards.
11:28.5
I extend my congratulations and gratitude to DOT,
11:33.5
of course the local governments of Ilocos Norte,
11:36.5
the provincial government,
11:37.5
the municipal government of Pagodpud,
11:41.5
all of the other line agencies who were involved
11:44.5
to bring us to be able to open this tourist rest area today.
11:50.5
And without this conversation,
11:52.5
without this conversation,
11:53.3
without this cooperation,
11:55.3
and without the synergy that we are achieving
11:59.3
by working together,
12:00.3
and working together with a single plan in mind,
12:07.3
with a single destination in mind for all that we are doing,
12:10.3
I believe that we will succeed.
12:13.3
We hope for that continued support for all the tourism programs across the archipelago.
12:19.3
And we will show that
12:22.3
not only do Filipinos love the Philippines,
12:26.3
but we can tell our foreign friends, guaranteed,
12:29.3
you will love the Philippines.
12:31.3
Let us work together to build a Bagong Pilipinas
12:36.3
where we give our people the life that they deserve.
12:40.3
Distinguished guests, let us give a round of applause.
