| In
order to cater to the tourism and information needs
of the visitors and the local people, the Tanauan Tourism
and Information Center was formally inaugurated on July
6, 2007, Mayor Roque Tiu informed. This, Mayor Tiu said
is a humble contribution to President Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo's Super Region Project and her thrust of making
Central Philippines where Tanauan belongs, to become
the Tourism Capital of the Philippines.
Strategically located at the Embarkadero Square just
beside the Senior Citizens Building and infront of the
Tanauan Police Station along Real Street, the Tanauan
Tourism and Information Center building was funded by
First District of Leyte Congresswoman Remedios L. Petilla.
Being the vice chairman of the Tourism Committee of
the House of Representatives, Congresswoman Petilla
thought of providing Tourism and Information Centers
in the bigger municipalities of the First District.
Last year, Congresswoman Petilla also donated a tourism
van to Tanauan and the other municipalities of the First
District.
Congresswoman Petilla, during the Inauguration of the
said Tanauan Tourism and Information Center, lauded
Mayor Roque Tiu for maximizing the use of the center
by also putting a display of the town’s local
indigenous products, aside from the usual tourism and
information materials.
She expressed hope that the other municipalities would
also maximize the use of their respective Tourism and
Information Centers.
What makes the Tanauan Tourism and Information Center
distinct and unique, is Mayor Tiu’s initiative
in tapping the talents of the out of school youth who
were organized into the Tanauan Workmanlike Organization,
who were trained to man the Center.
The members of the TAWO were trained by the Department
of Tourism last year, Mayor Tiu said and just recently,
they underwent a training on Tour guiding organized
by a local travel agency. In the near future, the members
will be trained on information gathering and dissemination
by the Philippine Information Agency so that they will
be able to know the techniques in providing the right
information about the municipality, Mayor Tiu added.
Mayor Tiu expressed the gratitude of the town to Congresswoman
Petilla for her innovative projects which are the real
answers to the needs of the various municipalities.
Through Congresswoman Petilla’s Tourism and Information
Center project, the potentials of the young people of
Tanauan will be put to good use and will further enhance
the productivity of the youth, Mayor Tiu said.
He said that the TAWO was organized in August of 2005
through the initiative of the ALS coordinator Mrs. Carol
Morantte, the municipal DSWD and Mayor Roque Tiu.. It
is composed of young skilled workers and out-of-school
youth, desirous of improving their lives. Since then,
TAWO members underwent training on T-shirt and ribbons
printing, stage decoration and plate and cups photo
printing and engraving. The organization, to date, with
the funding from Congresswoman Petilla is running a
Gotohan, a proof of their being young entrepreneurs.
The success of the group in these undertakings, earned
for them confidence in themselves and the confidence
of Mayor Tiu and the local officials.
Mayor Tiu trusts that with the TAWO members manning
the Tanauan Tourism and Information Center, the center
will be able to achieve the purpose for which it was
built. |