Monday, September 15, 2008 [ sunstar.com.ph ]
TUBA'S potential as a tourist destination has been largely untapped, but with the recent opening of three view decks in the municipality, officials there are determined to improve their tourism industry by providing tourists with a glimpse of what the province can offer in terms of places to visit.
The view decks, which cost a total of P1.5 million, were funded by the province of Benguet.
Last Wednesday, Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan and Tuba Mayor Florencio Bentrez signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) regarding the management of the buildings. As stipulated in the MOA, after their construction, the Municipal Government will be in charge of maintaining the buildings.
One of the view decks is located in Cabuyao, Mount Santo Tomas, a hiking and pilgrimage site. Further up the mountain are radar stations established by the Americans for the transmission of radio signals. Before the availability of cable television, Baguio enjoyed access to television channels broadcast only in the US.
Early in the morning, a view of the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union can be seen from Cabuyao.
At the same time, officials here asked residents to be tourist-friendly. Bentrez said tourists are guaranteed to come back if people show warmness.
Tuba officials, at the same time, want to promote their vegetable industry. This time, they said, without them having to go to the Baguio public market to do it.
Similar to the strawberries of La Trinidad town, where fresh-picked berries are sold for a higher price, newly-harvested vegetables from Tuba can be sold to tourists visiting the town.
"Tourism can be an additional livelihood for you," Fongwan told local residents there last Wednesday, adding that he already asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to consider allotting funds for the concreting of the road going to Cabuyao.
Tuba is also famous for its hot springs in Asin, the Klondykes river, the Bridal Falls, Twin Peaks, Kennon Road and the Marcos bust in Taloy Sur. (RO)
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