The Asia Foundation (TAF) in partnership with Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce Inc. (NOCCI) assisted Negros Oriental to develop tourism road network map and infra investments through the use of value chain analysis in identifying strategic road links.

 

 

Coordinating Roads and Infrastructure Investments for Development (CR+ID) project coordinator Conrado Pono of TAF cited the importance of prioritizing the roads and infrastructure projects based on evidence-data that brings economic development in the areas.

 

TAF in support with Australian Embassy provides assistance to provincial government to map strategic roads and infrastructure with the private or tourism sector.

 

With the growing number of tourists arrival in the province, the project facilitates movement of tourists and connect activities towards its tourist destinations.

 

In a CR+ID value chain stakeholder’s workshop recently, the tourism sector has initially identified priority strategic road links (SRLs) between the municipalities of Manjuyod to Siaton where most of tourism attractions are located.

 

The SRLs coordinates value chain investments and interconnect most often in transporting goods, services and people.

The SRLs harmonizes also national line agencies and local governments with funding for priority road networks, which are vital to the local economy.

 

It is noted that the top economic drivers of Negros Oriental include tourism, agriculture, and Business Processing Management that need to improve and step up to participate in the regional and global value chains.

Pono emphasized the important role of private sector in the industries for competitiveness, as the government provides enabling environment to implement the roadmaps.

 

The business sector here set to improve tourism and other industries to boost competitiveness in facing challenges on the ASEAN Economic Community. (mbcn/JCT/PIA7-Negros Oriental)