Capitol wants tourism data to back up “future policies”
IS tourism really that miracle engine behind Bohol’s economic boost? Many want to know.
But absent the necessary data that would confirm or deny the claim, Capitol is now eyeing a study
commissioned to do exactly that.
At the recent Kapihan sa PIA aired live over DyTR, researchers at the Holy Name University shared
that Capitol is now formalizing negotiations with the local research firm to make tourism profiles
of towns as a baseline data laying the substrata of the newest economic wonder engine claim.
Holy Name University’s Bohol Poll, which has established a track record of credibility after conducting
almost accurate predictions in its regular annual surveys since 1998 could be Capitol’s choice of
partners in the survey.
“The profile would give us an accurate picture of the tourism in the towns, its services, facilities and
supports structures,” Josephine Cemine of the Holy Name University Center for Local Governance
said.
Cemine also revealed that they are now studying Capitol’s request for assistance to help them put up
a data base that would rightfully support Bohol’s claims.
The negotiations however are not yet final, she hinted during the weekly forum held at the PIA.
The research data gathered could actually pinpoint if Bohol’s crafted vision to pre-position the
province as a prime eco-cultural tourism destination in the country has borne fruit in the last decade.
The data could also tell if eco-tourism benefits have created the “noted” economic up-liftment of
communities as recorded by the United Nation’s Human Development Index.
Romeo Teruel of the Bohol Center for Development Studies said that the present Capitol
Administration has put in regular employees at the Capitol research Unit because all locally funded
programs and decisions from then on would be research-based.
The Kapihan sa PIA segment for the week was on the celebration of the Development Policy
Research Month celebrated in September via Presidential Proclamation 247.
Taking turns in explaining the crucial role of research in policy decisions and local development,
Cimene, Teruel and Holy Name University’s Research center Coordinator Ma. Paz Espiritu emphasized
the crucial role of research-based development policies to help government allocate its scarce
resources. (racPIABohol)
