Presidential aspirant Isko Moreno Domagoso visits an adventure park in northern Cebu on Sunday, December 5, 2021. | Contributed Photo
CEBU, Philippines — Aksyon Demokratiko presidential bet Isko Moreno Domagoso on Sunday praised Cebu’s tourism sector for the province’s tourist attractions.
During his dialogue with workers at the Cebu Safari and Amusement Park, Domagoso said, Cebu’s business leaders played a crucial role in sustaining local tourism.
“Kaya ako pumunta rito: para malaman ng Pilipinas na may ganito sa Cebu at bukas siya. Hindi nagsara. Kahit nahirapan yung negosyante, minaintain niya. Inayos niya,” he said.
(The reason I came here: For the Philippines to know that there is such a thing here in Cebu and it is open already. It is not closed. Even if the businessmen here are facing hardships, they still maintained this. They still took care of this.)
“Ngayon, people will notice. People will know. Domestic tourism, tayo-tayo muna. Pwede na siya mag strive,” he added.
(Now, people will notice. People will know. Domestic tourism, it will be just us for now. We can strive with this.)
The 47-year-old presidential aspirant said Cebu’s Safari and Amusement Park is well positioned to be a center of animal breeding in Asia and a supplier of live animals to zoos around the country.
“Nakakainggit yung Cebu Safari because you produce your own animals already. Nagbibreed na kayo. Hindi na kayo umaasa sa imported. Nandoon na kayo sa next level,” he said.
(I am a bit envious of the Cebu Safari because you produce your own animals already. You are breeding them. You are not depending on imported. You are on the next level.)
“You now look at your future in this establishment and someday, we can be the center of Asia in producing animals,” he added.
| Contributed Photo
Domagoso was accompanied by Cebu 3rd District Rep. Pablo John “PJ” Garcia and Cebu Safari chief operating officer and vice president Eduard Loop.
He is the first presidential candidate to visit the amusement park and its workers.
Citing the need to revive the country’s tourism industry, Domagoso said, the national government needs to expand its vaccination program.
“First things first: kapanatagan to the tourists and to the workers. Kapag laging pangamba na baka yung nagseserbadora sa kanya ay may COVID o yung kanyang turista may COVID, lahat takot. Kapag lahat takot, mababa ang efficiency level at service,” he said.
(First things first: Peace of mind to the tourists and to the workers. If you are always afraid that the one serving you has COVID or the tourist has COVID, everybody is afraid. If all of us are afraid, then the efficiency levey and service will go down.)
“Kapag bakunado ang lahat, tuloy na ang buhay. Doon papasok yung consumer confidence. Bakunahan natin nang bakunahan ang tao. Palabasin natin. Pagastusin ang tao para may hanapbuhay ang tao. So, naturally, may iikot na pera,” he added.
(If all are vaccinated, life will go on. That is where consumer confidence will enter. Vaccinate and vaccinate the public. Let them go outside. Let them spend so that people will have their livelihood. So naturally, money will circulate.)
Domagoso praised President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent three-day national vaccination drive for helping local government units inoculate more of their residents.
| Contributed Photo
“Katulad ngayon, ito yung pinakamagandang portion na ginagawa ng national government through President Duterte and IATF – National Vaccination Day, kung saan ang tumulong ay mga lokal na pamahalaan, tulad namin, na dalhin yung resources namin like doktor, nurses sa kani-kanilang probinsya kung saan kami ma-assign. This will matter to the tourism industry,” he said.
(Just like now, this is the most proper portion that the national government did through President Duterte and the IATF – National Vaccination Day, where the local governments are helping, like us, we bring our resources like doctors, nurses to the different provinces where we will be assigned. This will matter to the tourism industry.)
Moreover, Domagoso reiterated his plans to boost tourism infrastructure in the Visayas by building bridges that will connect Cebu with Bohol and Negros.
“Just imagine yourselves as Cebuanos in the Visayan region, connecting to giants, the Negros and Cebu provinces. Yun ang isa sa tinitignan namin (That is one of the things that we are looking at): to build more bridges in the island so there will be more commerce, exchange of goods, mas mabilis, mas efficient (it will be faster, it will be more efficient),” Domagoso said.
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