AS THE coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) situation in Cebu City continues to improve, the Cebu City Tourism Commission (CCTC) has seen this as an opportunity to promote tourism in the city.
The CCTC relaunched its tourism program dubbed the Highland Blooms and Eco-Tourism on May 11, 2021.
Tourism Commissioner Jocelyn Pesquera said the program highlights the tourist spots that can be found in the mountain barangays in Cebu City.
Pesquera said 10 barangays have participated in the program, including Barangays Tagbao, Sinsin, Tabunan, Sudlon 1, Sudlon 2, Babag, Buhisan, Bonbon, Budlaan and Adlaon.
This tourism program flaunts the city’s natural sites like falls, caves, pocket forests, eco and flower farms, as well as establishments in mountain barangays.
The commission is now plotting the tour packages for identified sites.
To be included in the promotion of the CCTC, the management of the tourist spots or establishments must have business permits; identify what kind of tourist spot or services they can offer; have enough parking space, considering roads in the mountain barangays are not that wide; have no obstructions; and have clean and sanitized establishments.
Pesquera said as early as 2019, the CCTC met with barangay officials of 34 mountain barangays to orient them about the program.
Pesquera said the commission also coordinated with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), especially for natural sites viable for tourism like the falls in Barangays Tagbao and Budlaan.
Pesquera said Cebu Island is known for its white-sand beaches, but since Cebu City does not have it, the city’s mountain barangays have a lot of places to offer.
“We are so proud of the beautiful sceneries in the mountain,” said Pesquera.
Meanwhile, the Cebu City Council passed the resolution authored by Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera urging the executive department to allocate 10 hectares of land in the South Road Properties (SRP), which will be used as an open-space park and recreation area.
Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella said he will coordinate with the SRP Management Office on the matter, saying he supports such a measure.
Labella said the move can help the public in terms of mental health amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Covid-19 situation in Cebu City has continued to improve as seen in the critical care occupancies in the city.
Garganera said for three days in a row, the critical care occupancy rate in hospitals in Cebu City was below 20 percent.
“Our health care facilities are in the pink of health,” said Garganera.
Cebu City, based on the Emergency Operations Center data on Wednesday, had a total of 23,701 confirmed Covid-19 cases with 22,454 recoveries and 853 mortalities, leaving only 394 active Covid-19 cases. (JJL)