CEBU CITY, Philippines - The Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA) has ranked Cebu province as among four of the best localities in the Philippines to invest in.The others are San Fernando town in Pampanga province, Tagaytay, and Iloilo City. Cebu, as a tourist destination, is expected to develop and upgrade existing tourism and eco-tourism sites like retirement havens, world-class medical facilities, wellness centers, and hotels, according to ISA, a non-profit institution that seeks to improve public governance. ISA was founded and chaired by former Finance Secretary Jesus Estanislao. The organization also lauded Cebu’s waste management projects, development of the One Town One Product project, and the province’s Suroy-Suroy tourism caravans, which help support and develop the economies of outlying towns and cities. It said that by 2020 “Cebu will become a model coalition of civil society, business and government, (and) shall have set benchmarks for fast and balanced progress for all its citizens.” “To do this, the province is committed to continue the expansion of infrastructure network and facilities including the expansion of the international airports capacity.” The ISA said it foresees San Fernando, Pampanga to become the “gateway to north Philippines by 2015,” Tagaytay to be “a resort, retirement and character city by 2010,” and Iloilo a “premier city by 2015.” Governor Gwendolyn Garcia was invited along with officials of the three other local governments to a Public Governance Forum tomorrow at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Manila. The officials were asked to speak on how they plan to achieve growth in their LGUs. Garcia said she would attend the forum. This means she would not be able to attend a rural tourism forum at the Cebu City Marriott Hotel held Wednesday until Friday. About 200 delegates from around the country are expected including speakers and participants from Malaysia and Thailand.
The Capitol’s Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo tourism caravans in Cebu’s towns will be discussed by Provincial Board Member Agnes Magpale, chairman of the provincial board’s tourism committee. Suroy-Suroy will be cited as a classic example of dispersing tourism’s economic benefits in the countryside, said Dawnie Roa, regional director of the Department of Tourism in Central Visayas. A swing through 16 northern Cebu towns will be covered by the next Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo from April 8 to 10. | 
