THE CITY Tourism Operations Office’s (CTOO) infrastructure campaign dubbed “The Panunod Project” was among the top five finalists in Mindanao for the Department of Tourism (DOT) XI’s Tourism Champions Challenge.
The Tourism Champion’s Challenge is a DOT initiative to help boost tourism infrastructure in different parts of the Philippines, funded by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA).
In a radio interview on Jan. 30, Warren Quinones, CTOO operations assistant, said they are still waiting for the third-ranking phase where qualified applicants will get funds from TIEZA to establish the proposed infrastructure project.
“Hopefully by February 21, the results will come out,” Quinones said.
Launched last year, the TCC will select 15 tourism-related infrastructures in various local government units, out of the 98 proposals all over the Philippines. Each LGUs will qualify in parts of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Among the qualified LGUs in Mindanao were Davao City and San Agustin in Davao del Sur, Isabela City in Basilan, and Island Garden City of Samal and Tagum City in Davao del Norte.
“After natanggap namin ang invitation (from DOT XI), we complied with the opportunity, that time we were also in preparation for Kadayawan, and it gave birth to Panunod project, the word means pamana or inherited,” Quinones said.
Quinones shared that the Panunod project, inspired by the Davaoeños’ true culture, representing 11 ethnolinguistic tribes, will establish “a centralized Cultural Center inside the Ramon Magsaysay Park area, a sustainable infrastructure utilities, dedicated to showcasing and generating economic opportunities for the tribal group’s arts and products.”
“It’s not just that, it will also promote training, capacity building, and product development for the tribes,” he said.
He said once they get the grant, a certificate of counterpart for the operations of the said facility will take place, helping establish a maintenance plan and monitoring of tourist arrivals in the area. Technical permits and building requirements will also follow.
Among the five shortlisted LGUs, the province will be given a reward of P20 million for the first prize, P15 million for the second, followed by P10 million, P8 million, and P7 million for the fifth prize.
