CALAMBA CITY, Laguna -- For the first time, the City Cultural, Tourism and Sports Development Office (CCTSDO) of the city launched the “Summer Saya sa Calamba” campaign to attract more local and foreign tourists to the abundant natural hot spring waters in the resort barangays of Bucal, Pansol and Bagong Kalsada.
In an interview Monday with Philippine News Agency (PNA), Larissa Malinao, CCTSDO head said ‘Summer Saya sa Calamba’ is initially a summer fun campaign to attract more local and foreign tourists to the city’s hot spring resorts and other interesting tourism sites.
“We have more than a thousand hot springs resorts both public and private in the city,” she said as she cited that the Department of Tourism (DOT) awarded the province and the city as the top LGU having the most number of night time tourists in 2017 reaching a record-high 1.022 million tourists.
She said, however, that only a little more than half of the total hot spring resorts have legitimate business permits registered at the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) and these are located in private lands.
Malinao added that the tourists’ arrivals would have increased should there be improvements in traffic management, infrastructures such as roads and sewerage systems and banking facilities in the area.
“We were inspired by the award given by the DOT, and Mayor Justin Marc Chipeco would like to improve and sustain the entry of tourists,” she said.
She said the CCTSDO initiated a dialogue with resort owners and representatives last March 9, 2018 at Barangay Pansol covered court where Chipeco and department heads tackled three areas of concerns such as traffic management, road improvements and banking facilities.
According to Malinao, it was clarified during the meeting with the Mayor and resort stakeholders here that government funds cannot be used for private purposes unless the rights of way would be donated and turned over to the local government.
However, she said Chipeco approved the ‘Summer Saya sa Calamba’ campaign to create a fun and festive mood this summer which started last March 19 while he is working out with the other concerns.
“We would like to showcase a festive atmosphere for everyone this summer by placing ‘bandalas’ along the main road traversing through the three barangays and have also created a special jingle for the campaign,” she added.
The city tourism department head also disclosed the support to the campaign from other city hall departments like the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) which is currently clearing obstructions and illegal structures in the main roads.
POSO’s clearing operations are coordinated with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Meralco for the transfer of electric posts as well ridding the city sidewalks of illegally parked vehicles and illegal vendors to ease traffic.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police will provide more tourist police personnel in the area in addition to the Barangay Tanods (village watchmen), Malinao stated.
She also said that they have communicated with banking institutions to put up their branch in the resorts area as the city tourism office plans to establish the ‘Pasalubong Center’ and Tourist Information Center at strategic sites besides the City Plaza near the Rizal Shrine in the Poblacion area.
“We would like to make this campaign a sustainable activity not only this summer but all year round and beyond.” she added. (PNA)
