By RIC V. OBEDENCIO

Fixing the infrastructure and good transportation in accordance with international standards are the primary but critical issues that the government should address for Bohol to hold on for strong sustained tourism development. If the recent Philippine Tour Operators Association (PhilTOA) tours in Bohol are supposed to be promotional, key players should urged officials concerned on government sector to put in place first the tourism good infrastructure and first-rate transportation, said a tour operator. And Mayor Dodong Amper of Anda town hit it right during the presscon at Bluewater Resort in Panglao island when he called on for more infrastructure, like paved roads for smooth visitors' travel. Despite all praises for Anda's assets, like the powdery white sand that PhilTOA president Cesar Cruz described it as finer than Boracay's, still wider paved roads especially those in the hinterland barangays are wanting.

Bohol is still struggling in making tourism vibrant again through tourist arrivals that may create more jobs following the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck Bohol on October 15, 2013. Though Bohol is becoming a favorite destination, international cruise ship as evidenced on two Europa cruise ships this year, still they cannot take proper berthing at city seaport but dropped anchors about a kilometer from the port, instead. The planned international cruise ship anchorage port between Sandingan and Cabilao islands, off Loon town is potential and promising and probably remains a promise, a tourist operator said. As visitors are growing in droves, inadequate city airport space in landing, apron and lack of facilities for night landing limit the capacity of arrivals, said an official. The provincial government is hopeful that construction of New Bohol Airport with international standards would soon start after several postponements in bidding process. The said airport in this town was conceived more than 20 years ago following the need to replace the aging Tagbilaran City airport.

When asked how Bohol is faring, Gov. Chatto admitted there are still a lot to do after the earthquake. Officials here still expressed optimism about the national government's promise of infra development program in accordance with the National Tourism Development Plan. They pin high hopes that the increase in capacity and productivity of identified airport and seaports, bolstering tourism target through construction of reinforcements of transport infra will soon be realized. The rehabilitation and construction of new ones for safety and comfort of the passengers and expansion of linkages with the rest of the world as envisioned in the tourism plan won't be long.

Colorum transport

Transportation services in the province still in poor condition, most of them cannot pass the international quality standard imposed by the Department of Tourism (DOT). The concern over tour operators on transportation sector that cry foul of the stringent rules and regulations imposed by the DOT has surfaced during the press conference at Bluewater Resort, with the presence of PHILTOA officiers. The local and tourism officials concerned are calling for years now for the relaxation and even moratorium of the said rules on standardization just to allow vans or tourist bus to ply their trade. The governor said that this is a concern to be deliberated again and try to find out what PhilTOA can do about this. And striking a balance for local investors pouring their capital for transport services and need for their standardization is a risk that key transport operators and the safety of their passengers are facing, a concerned operator who asked not to be named said. (RVO)