Making strategic areas across the country, especially Bohol and 7 other provinces, into tourism enterprise zones takes effect the new law President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed recently, and which the president reiterated in her speech during her visit in the province as the guest of honor to the recently held Tigum Bol-anon Tibuok Kalibutan (TBTK) . It may be recalled that the move was through Bohol Representative Edgar M. Chatto and his counterpart at the Senate who authored the making of the Philippine tourism globally competitive and puts it as primary engine for investment, employment and national development. And prior to the president’s signing of the law, Representative Chatto explained that it will spur the creation of jobs and open additional channels for the infusion of much-needed investments as well as give the people the power to pull themselves out of the economic recession. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed May 12, the National Tourism Act of 2009 (Republic Act 9593) declaring a national tourism policy and attempts to integrate all tourism development efforts to boost the country’s competitiveness. The president in her recent visit in the province as the invited guest to the TBTK was impressed and overwhelmed on the unity that the Boholanos exhibited through their joint efforts in gathering Boholano folks coming from the different parts of the continent. The president said that such move could vastly promote tourism industry of the province and be globally competitive.
Other than Bohol, other tourism zones to be established are in Cebu, Davao, Laguna, Cavite, Boracay, Palawan and Iloilo: all of these to foreign investors and tourists to visit places rich in history and culture.