DARE TO CLIMB

Independent Senator Richard J. Gordon, with Department of Tourism (DOT) Undersecretary Oscar Palabyab and DOT Region XI Director Sonia Garcia, shows a poster designed to lure local and foreign tourists to “dare to climb” the country’s highest peak, Mt. Apo, in Davao del Sur, during the Tourism-related Industry Congress (Tricon) at Grand Regal Hotel in Davao City where he was the guest speaker. Gordon, chief author of the 2009 Tourism Act which is expected to be signed into law by President Arroyo, said the measure will boost domestic tourism with the establishment of “tourism enterprise zones” in strategic areas in the country, including Davao. According to the former tourism secretary, the new tourism law would give the much-needed boost to the country’s tourism because it would generate more jobs and more revenues for local government units.