Highland attractions eyed as main attraction

The City Council Committee on Tourism eyes to promote Marilog and Paquibato resorts as primary tourists destinations of the city after the body passed on second reading the proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance of Davao City to delineate areas for Eco-Tourism and Agro-Tourism Activities in the said District.

Last year, the City Council closed tourists destinations located in the said districts because of operating even with the lack of business permits.

According to Committee on Tourism chairman Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre, the city’s tourism is focused on MICE or meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions and highland resorts are considered as secondary destinations.

“Areas in Marilog is under Tourism Development Zone, as an additional land use for tourism. As one of the new tourism attractions in Davao, we really have to promote it,” Alejandre told reporters.

“We could not promote it before because its operation was illegal but if this amendments will be passed into law, we will include this in our campaign slogan and other campaigns in Davao’s tourism,” he added.

Alejandre also sees a possible increase of the influx of tourists in the city especially that the resorts will be mandated to follow standards of the Department of Tourism.

According to Alejandre, while the council supports the development of tourism activities in the hinterlands, there is also a need to follow rules of the city.

“The operation without having business permit and being in a conservation zone was part of my privilege speech before,” Alejandre said.

Alejandre led the creation of Task Force (TF) Marilog which probed the illegal operation of resorts in the said district.

“Now, we are helping them as a win-win solution between the local government and the private sector to work hand in hand,” he said.

“This could help to continue generating jobs among the residents of Marilog and Paquibato,” he added.

Although the operation of the resorts will soon be legalized, the TF Marilog will still continue its operation as part of the monitoring of the implementation of the laws in the said areas.

Alejandre also mentioned that resort owners must follow guidelines set by the local law.

“We welcome development but we do not want to exploit our mountains,” Alejandre said. (Julianne Suarez)