The Department of Tourism (DOT), the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and the municipality of Tubigon, Bohol signed a tripartite memorandum of agreement (MOA) for a new tourism infrastructure project.
The MOA was signed on Friday by DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, Tubigon Mayor Marlon Amila, and TIEZA assistant chief operating officer Jetro Nicolas Lozada, marking the start of the development for the “Enchanted Ilijan Plug of Tubigon Project,” which was the top-ranked entry for the Visayas under the DOT’s Tourism Champions Challenge (TCC) program.
Frasco, a former mayor of Liloan, Cebu, said the TCC was created to “crowdsource creative ideas from the ground.”
“We’re very impressed by the reception of the Tourism Champions Challenge because nearly 100 LGUs from all over the Philippines submitted their proposals,” she said.
The MOA outlines the responsibilities of each party. The DOT will provide strategic guidance, TIEZA will oversee the infrastructure component and the Tubigon local government will handle implementation, permitting and long-term management.
The project, backed by a P25 million TCC fund prize, will highlight Ilijan Hill, a volcanic plug and a key feature of Bohol’s UNESCO Global Geopark.
“By investing not only in our already well-known and world-class destinations but also in our emerging destinations, we’re creating opportunities,” Frasco said.
“We continue to invest in Bohol, recognizing its potential and proven ability to carry the tourism landscape of Central Visayas, together with Cebu,” she said.
The project includes the Ilijan Plug Trail to the summit garden, an Ilijan Pavilion, an arts and cultural village and a dedicated parking area.
“As secretary of tourism, and as somebody who has served on the ground as mayor of Liloan in Cebu, I have seen that the best ideas for development really do come from our local government unit,” Frasco said.
“That is why the Tourism Champions Challenge was born—essentially an effort to crowdsource creative ideas from the ground. We’re very impressed by the reception of the Tourism Champions Challenge because nearly 100 LGUs from all over the Philippines submitted their proposals,” she said.
