Posts Tagged ‘PTA’
CLARK FREEPORT – The Clark Development Corporation (CDC) and the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) over the weekend signed a lease agreement for the development of a wakeboarding facility at the Freeport’s “Next Frontier” area.
CDC President Benigno N. Ricafort and PTA General Manager and Chief Executive Officer MARK LAPID? signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Friday, September 11, at the CDC Corporate Headquarters here.
Ricafort said the PTA will not only build a wakeboarding facility but also a sports tourism complex in a 20-hectare area at the Next Frontier area of the Sacobia Valley.
The CDC president added that the PTA is set to invest a minimum of P50 million for the 25-year lease agreement, which is renewable for another 25 years.
Ricafort said the wakeboarding facility, similar to that in Camarines Sur, is CDC’s anchor project to jumpstart tourism activities at The Next Frontier area.
Lapid, on the other hand, said the PTA is set to present the design and master development plan, adding that construction work for the roads leading to the area has already started.
CDC President Benigno N. Ricafort (2nd from left) and PTA General Manager Mark Lapid shake hands after signing an agreement for the establishment of a wakeboarding facility and sports tourism complex inside the Next Frontier area of the Clark Freeport. Looking on are (from right) CDC Director Frankie Villanueva and CDC Executive Vice President Philip JB Panlilio.
He also said construction work for the wakeboarding and sports tourism complex will only take a year and the facility will immediately be opened to the public.
In one of her visits to Clark, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo lauded the Next Frontier project citing its positive effects like employment generation “not only for the Aetas but also its contribution to the local and national economy.”
Ricafort said he is optimistic on the speedy completion of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Joint Management Agreement (JMA) the CDC signed with the Tribung Ayta and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
The CDC president cited the JMA as the prime ingredient of the state-owned firm’s Next Frontier project that aims to develop more than 2,000 hectares of forested area in the Sacobia Valley – the northern portion of this Freeport.
According to Ricafort, the Next Frontier project is in consonance with the JMA signed in December 6, 2007 by CDC, NCIP, and leaders of the Tribung Ayta, who have inherent rights over certain areas of the Sacobia Valley under the Ancestral Domain Claims.
The Tribung Ayta is composed of 13 tribes or about 3,000 families from the towns of Bamban, Tarlac and Mabalacat, Pampanga.
“The most important role of the JMA is that it ensures the recognition and promotion of the overall welfare of the Aeta tribes in the area aside from enabling the CDC to generate investment potentials in tourism, housing, commercial, institutional and light industry projects in the Sacobia Valley through the Next Frontier project,” Ricafort said.
Serenity. Calm. Love. Life. A mixture of emotions and feelings triggered by the majestic beauty of the Banaue Rice Terraces. Banaue, one of the famous places in the Cordilleras, is a World Heritage Site due to its centuries-old rice terraces.
Ideal for nature lovers and adventurous tourists who would like to experience one of the country’s off-the-beaten-tract destinations, visitors can savour the scenery for long by staying at the Banaue Hotel. Located 4,000 feet above sea level right in the heart of Banaue Rice Terraces, the hotel is one of the most frequented entities of the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA). The hotel has been operational since 1974. It boasts of well-furnished and fully-carpeted rooms with private balconies offering scenic views of world-renowned rice terraces. (Story and photos by PTA)
Recreational pool area at Banaue Hotel
Banaue Hotel
Room at Banaue Hotel
The Banaue Rice Terraces
Perfect view of the Banaue rice terraces
A window to the North, showcasing the best of the best! Located in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga, Hilaga is a home to Northern Philippines’ history, culture and arts.
The venue is one of Philippine Tourism Authority’s (PTA) entities that feature the four regions of the north — Central Luzon, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley and the Cordilleras.
With the northern regions’ distinctive brand of delicacies, festivals, native handicrafts, cultural presentations, historical masterpieces, trade expositions and performances, Hilaga is indeed a hub where northern possibilities are endless.
Only 40 minutes from Balintawak via the North Luzon Expresswat (NLEx), Hilaga is a must stop-over for tourists moving upward Luzon. The place itself is a showcase, designed after the famous Kapampangan parul or lantern, Hilaga is an architectural masterpiece. (Story by Mini A./Photos courtesy of PTA)
Hilaga
Photo from PTA
Photo from PTA
Photo from PTA
