Gov. Petilla bares infrastructure plans for tourism promotions, economic development

By Provincial Media Relations Center (PMRC Leyte)
December 11, 2008

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla reported new infrastructure plans for the province to correspond with the province’s tourism and employment promotion as a means to stir up economic development.

This was presented by the governor during the Provincial Development Council Meeting held Thursday at the Governor’s Hall.

Gov. Petilla said the province still sets its sights on a bigger convention center, big enough to host national conventions and other big events.

He pointed out during the meeting to PDC members, who are composed of different local chief executives and other officials of the province, that by providing the province with more convention centers, business activity will flourish and become more vibrant.

More visitors would then be willing and encouraged to come here as the province would then have the capability to host larger local, national, and even international events.

It can be recalled the province early on announced it is planning to erect a convention center at the Old Children’s Park.

The province is eyeing a facility that could house more or less 3,000-6,000 people in just one venue with the capability of holding events such as conventions, forums and seminars of national scope.

Meanwhile, the governor also reported the provincial government has plans of putting up an additional building inside the Leyte ICT Park.

However, this plan has to be on a later stage since the aim now is for APAC to fully locate, establish and operationalize itself before inviting more call center and other ICT locators at the PEZA-facility.

“We cannot as yet invite other call center companies to locate until APAC has established their branch. Because they are the first ones to accept our invitation to locate, we give them some privileges to enjoy such as operating for a period of time without other competition,” Gov. Petilla said.

APAC Customers Inc., as has been reported, is the first call center company that would start operations by February 2009.

The governor said this infrastructure plans are geared towards Leyte’s primary target of tourism and investment.