The Department of Tourism (DOT) continues to coordinate with DOT officials, regional directors, as well as airport and port authorities to assess the status of gateways and ensure the safety of affected communities, tourists, and tourism frontliners.
This comes after the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu.
According to the agency, they remain in constant communication with their regional offices in Regions 5, 6, 7, 8, and 13, along with local government units (LGUs), disaster response units, and tourism stakeholders for the assessment and restoration of affected sites.
The DOT has also prepared assistance programs for those affected by the quake, such as the Turismo Asenso Loan Program in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Small Business Corporation (SB Corp.).
Additionally, personnel from the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) have been deployed to several areas to conduct ongoing assessments and determine the necessary support.
(PHOTO COURTESY: PCO)
