The Department of Tourism (DOT) has vowed to look for more ways to help the pandemic-battered tourism industry of Western Visayas get back on its feet.

“Huwag kayong mag-alala, hindi naman kayo iiwan ng DOT. Nandyan lang kami. Iisipin namin kung paano pa namin matutulungan at ma-ipromote ang Iloilo, Boracay, Guimaras at lahat ng nasa Western Visayas. Kapit lang,” DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said in a radio interview.

The DOT, according to Puyat, has been supporting efforts to promote Iloilo City as the country’s “bike tourism capital.”

“Nagbigay kami ng close to P10 million sa Iloilo para maipakita ang iba’t-ibang bike routes,” she said.

Puyat was supposed to be in the city on April 9 for the bike fest. The event was postponed due to the rising cases of COVID-19.

“Kung hindi kami naka-enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) dito, bibisita ako dyan at nang makita natin kung paano pa maboost ang turismo ng Iloilo,” she said.

Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces are currently under ECQ, the strictest form of community quarantine imposed by the government.

The DOT, through the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), also provided P350 million for the rehabilitation of plazas in the city.

“May tatlong historic landmarks kayo: Arevalo Plaza, [Plaza Libertad in City Proper], and Jaro Belfry sa Jaro Plaza,” said Puyat.

In Iloilo province, the DOT is working with the Provincial Tourism Office to enhance its five tourism circuits: Agri-Historical Tour, Agri-Eco Tour, Agri-Cation (recreation/vaction) Tour, Agri-Sarap Tour, and Agri-Venture Tour.

“Maraming pwedeng gawin at puntahan sa Iloilo,” said Puyat.

On the other hand, nearly 12,000 pandemic-affected workers on Boracay Island in Aklan have already received financial assistance.

“Habang nagre-restart pa lang ang turismo, nagbibigay tayo ng P5,000 cash assistance,” said Puyat.

As of April 5, the DOT has endorsed 84,370 beneficiaries to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

The DOT also partnered with the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) to partly subsidize the cost of RT-PCR tests for Boracay-bound domestic tourists.

“Tignan natin kung paano pa natin matulungan ang Boracay. Tuloy-tuloy naman ang pagpromote natin. Hirap na hirap ang Boracay kaya dapat bigyan natin ng tulong mga workers doon,” said Puyat.IMT