TACLOBAN CITY – Local government units (LGUs) across Eastern Visayas are now better equipped to attract investors after the Department of Tourism (DOT) in the region concluded its Tourism Investment Training Series with an Investor Pitching Session, aimed at helping LGUs develop investment-ready tourism projects.
The final workshop, “Tourism Investment Portfolio Development and Project Packaging,” was held on March 26–27 at Aviore Hotel.
Tourism and investment officers from all six provinces participated in the two-day program designed to boost the region’s competitiveness as a tourism investment destination.
Facilitator John Paulo Rivera highlighted the need to bridge the gap between tourism and investment promotion. “Tourism officers are learning a new language, but investment officers already speak it. Understanding this dynamic allows LGUs to better market their projects to potential investors,” he said.
The training focused on developing competitive investment portfolios, packaging high-impact projects, and aligning proposals with marketability and investor expectations.
A key highlight was the Investor Pitching Session, where 23 LGUs presented proposals to a panel of evaluators, receiving technical feedback for potential funding and partnerships.
Panelists Professor Michael Angelo Cortez of Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University and Dr. Marla Sudario of the University of the Philippines lauded the quality and financial viability of the proposals. Cortez noted, “These projects are ready for investment; they just need the right investors who believe in the region’s potential.”
The municipality of Arteche emerged as the top awardee with its “PAGTIPIG: From Poachers to Keepers Program,” recognized for sustainability and community-centered environmental tourism. Arteche also received the Strategic Communication Excellence Award for best presentation.
Other top performers included the Province of Samar, Lavezares, Province of Northern Samar, and Ormoc City.
Arteche’s proposal will be featured in the Eastern Visayas Tourism Investment Portfolio, the country’s first regional portfolio of its kind, and showcased at local and international investment forums.
With the training series concluded, DOT expects participating LGUs to be more capable of developing, packaging, and pitching tourism projects, further positioning Eastern Visayas as an attractive investment destination.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
