The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT), its agency the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and the municipal government of Tubigon in Bohol province signed a memorandum of agreement on Friday, 22nd August.
This agreement is the initial stage of an infrastructure project that will boost tourism, create local jobs, and promote environmental education.
The Enchanted Ilijan Plug of Tubigon Project marks the beginning of development for the town's top-ranking proposal under the Tourism Champions Challenge (TCC) programme.
The agreement was signed by tourism secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, Tubigon mayor Marlon Amila, and TIEZA assistant chief operating officer Jetro Nicolas Lozada.
At the signing, Frasco remarked: “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 shared that her experiences as a former three-term mayor taught her the importance of having national projects that respond and align with the needs of local government units (LGUs).
She concluded with: "That is why the Tourism Champions Challenge was born; it is essentially an effort to crowdsource creative ideas from the ground.”
A necessary transformation
The upcoming initiative will transform Ilijan Hill, the country’s first confirmed volcanic plug and part of Bohol’s United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Global Geopark, into a sustainable tourist destination, with a PHP25 million funding grant from the DOT.
Per the terms of the agreement, the DOT will provide strategic tourism guidance, while TIEZA will oversee infrastructure implementation.
The Tubigon LGU, on the other hand, will manage permits, execution, and long-term operations.
The Enchanted Ilijan Plug project will include the construction of an Ilijan Trail and summit garden, a pavilion, an arts and cultural village, and support facilities such as parking areas.
The DOT’s Tourism Champions Challenge received proposals from nearly 100 LGUs across the country.
Tubigon’s winning entry highlights the potential of LGU-driven tourism development, with national agencies providing infrastructure and policy support.
