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WOW PHILIPPINES
Drive around by sea
by Rochelle Gamboa-Hilario
 Do
you know that you may now drive your way to Boracay or even
up to Cagayan de Oro and Davao via the western seaboard? This
new alternative mode of traveling is now possible via the
Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH).
The SRNH is an alternative route offering
an efficient and shorter travel time to the five major islands
of the country, namely Luzon, Mindoro, Panay, Negros and Mindanao.
This interconnection plies the western seaboard as opposed
to the traditional PAN Philippine Highway. This new development
is seen to open new opportunities for the agri-business industry,
enhance accessibility and eventually realize tourism potentials
for the 17 provinces covered in the alternate route.
The new route is a fulfillment of the SONA
commitment made by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to provide
more efficient connection and low-cost transportation from
Luzon to Mindanao. The President said "this gives added
value to all the completed ODA-funded road network and other
infrastructure projects in the western seaboard of the Philippines."
The SRNH forms part of the tourism product
offerings being pushed for the Visit Philippines 2003 campaign,
and complements the programs of DOT Secretary Richard J. Gordon
in promoting intra-regional travel in the country for both
domestic and international travelers.
Meanwhile, the government has created an inter-agency
Technical Working Group to formally launch the Strong Republic
Nautical Highway. Coordinated by Official Development Assistance
Absorption Office (ODAAO) - Office of the President, the roles
of DOTC, MARINA, PPA, LTFRB, DPWH, DILG, PNP, LGUS (Provincial
Government), DTI, DA, the Department of Tourism (DOT) and
its marketing arm, the Philippine Convention and Visitors
Corporation (PCVC) were clearly defined to maximize the potentials
of the project.
Realizing the tourism potentials this new development will
offer, the DOT and PCVC have been tapped to provide technical
assistance and one-on-one consultation with the LGUs on packaging
their provinces/towns, preparing marketable tour packages,
promoting the route to travel trade operators and creating
awareness of travel products along the route. Meanwhile, the
PCVC is now coordinating its invitation to travel trade operators
and media for a dry-run of the new highway and its inaugural
caravan. A special package called "Attractours"
will be developed to explore the vast tourism potentials of
the country in terms of eco-tourism and nature, marine ecology,
cultural communities, ethnic culture and historical attractions,
beaches and niche attractions: agro-tourism, adventure and
water sports.
 No
less than Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led the inauguration
of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway on March 31 - April
3, 2003 along with a caravan of national and local government
officials concerned, travel trade, RORO operators, PBOAP members,
investors and businessmen to formally open the new route.
The project intends to market the western seaboard islands
as a safe tourism destination, position the provinces along
and around the route as alternative sources of products and
crafts and encourage the active participation of the local
government in promoting their area as tourist destinations
and source of agricultural and/or SME products. *
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