TOURISM: MOALBOAL'S ECONOMY BOOST
The resort town of Moalboal in the Province of Cebu has seen a significant increase in tourist arrivals in 2022, thanks to the aggressive pro-tourism policies of Governor Gwen Garcia. According to the Moalboal Tourism Office, the town registered 355,445 tourist arrivals, with 264,528 day users availing of its various activities such as island-hopping and the Sardine run and turtle watching, and 90,917 tourists staying for at least one night.
In February and March, Moalboal saw an increase of 70 percent in tourist arrivals when Governor Garcia eased restrictions for tourists. The move earned her the ire of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), but it was ultimately validated when Moalboal saw a 183 percent increase in the two months after the restrictions were lifted, with 10,716 tourists visiting the town in April.
Mayor Titing Cabaron credits Governor Garcia for the increase in tourist arrivals, stating that "the increase in tourists in 2022 is a result of Governor Garcia's order to ease down, or remove, the restrictions imposed during the Covid pandemic. Tourists, especially foreigners, are very happy with this because there is no more hassle, and the tourist destinations are also happy because it results in increased income as more tourists visit."
Despite a 10 percent drop in August, which coincided with the start of classes, the numbers steadily increased in the last five months of the year, with the town registering its highest monthly total of 10,929 in December despite having its island-hopping activities canceled for five days in the final week due to bad weather.
Mayor Cabaron is confident that the numbers will continue to increase this year, especially with Governor Garcia's daughter, Cristina Garcia-Frasco, now in charge of the Department of Tourism. "Last year we saw an increase, imagine how much this year 2023 will be, especially with our Secretary of Tourism actively promoting tourism not just in Cebu but throughout the Philippines, through the construction of many infrastructure projects, and Moalboal is one of the beneficiaries of this. We are building a tourist rest area for travelers to rest and avail of our local products," said Mayor Cabaron.
