ORMOC City, May 24 -- Shaping Ormoc City into
another tourist destination in the Visayas takes Bohol for a model.
Awed by Bohol's feat in tourism, Ormoc City Mayor
Richard Gomez said they want to imitate Bohol's path to the top.
"Because you are one of the places with a very
successful tourism program," Gomez told members of the Bohol media who
paid a courtesy call Tuesday after touring the National Grid Corporation of the
Philippines (NGCP) facility here.
Gomez elaborated that Ormoc's future plans are
directed at developing the city into a tourist destination, considering its
potentials.
"Our thrust in Ormoc is to promote
tourism," the mayor said.
Gomez said tourism in Ormoc is promising at the
same time rewarding for the local economy particularly with new investments and
when tourists spend money.
"We are aiming Ormoc to be a tourist
destination. Maybe we are not as beautiful as Bohol but we have some areas that
we can be proud of like Lake Danao," Gomez said.
He added that Ormoc City also hosts the Energy
Development Corporation (EDC), one of the world's pioneer in geothermal energy
industry, and "the recognized world leader in wet steam field
technology" which can be promoted into engineering tourism.
"We can be proud of our engineering tourism.
EDC is a fantastic place to visit for its engineering marvels. It is the
largest steam field in the world," according to Gomez.
He also cited Ormoc's river system project built by
the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 1993-1994.
The guitar-shaped Lake Danao tops Ormoc's
destination where there are floating cottages, picnic areas and boats for hire.
The lake is niched in a 2,193-hectare natural park. Other known lakes in Ormoc
are Lake Kasudsuran and Lake Janagdan.
Ormoc's oldest bridge, Punta dela Reina, also
attracts visitors for its historical significance that traces "the last
evidence of Spanish colonization" when it served as "docking area for
traders," as described by bloggers.
Ormoc's pineapple plantations span hundreds of
hectares of rolling terrains.
Gomez also takes pride of the peace and order
situation in Ormoc City -- the main factor that could draw in more visitors.
He noted the much improved peace and order in
Ormoc, considering it used to be among the top concern areas in the region due
to the drug menace.
Gomez said tourism would definitely support the
city's program to help indigents get jobs and lure in more investors.
(Angeline Valencia/PNA)
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