Our beloved San Pablo City is a perfect venue for tourism if only the roads leading to the barrios (now barangays) are well-maintained and drivable for all kinds of vehicles, big and small. The problem is, most of the roads are apparently neglected making it look like a moon surface from a distance – dusty during summer and muddy during rainy season. It’s a fact that needs to be addressed ASAP if we want local and foreign tourists to visit and enjoy their stay here.
Promoting the beauty of the city is easy if we can show the world that visitors would have an easy access to the place(s) they want to see which can be found in the barrio like caves, falls, springs, rivers, rice fields, coconut fields, flower farms and many more. If the roads are in bad condition, visitors would surely hesitate to come and instead look for another place more comfortable to stay.
Tourism, as explained by the incoming President Bongbong Marcos in his FB page last campaign season, would create many jobs that will help boost the Philippine economy. I definitely agree because once a particular place is developed for tourism, small and medium enterprises will also be created like sari-sari stores, souvenir items stores, eateries, massage parlors, beauty salons, rent-a-bike shops, etc. Others will be employed as dishwashers, cooks, security guards, house cleaners and tour guides. There will be a long line of jobs that will help an ordinary person earn a living for his/her family.
San Pablo is a very rich city in terms of natural resources, there’s no doubt about it. It is a crossroad to the provinces of Quezon, Batangas and the nearby towns of Laguna which are all tourist attractions in itself. But let us admit that there are still a lot more things to do to make it at par with other places. We need more disciplined and courteous trike drivers like the one I saw in Palawan who do not charge more than what is allowed by their local ordinance. We need to clear the sides of our roads with unnecessary obstructions like parked vehicles, small tiendas, repair shops, uncollected garbage, etc.
Expensive seminars on tourism are not bad per se if all that has been discussed will be implemented for the benefit of the city. Sad to say, the people only see superficial improvements on the existing sites not enough to radically change the image of our city that will make tourists troop together to visit our place without second thoughts.
Anyway, I believe that upon the assumption of Mayor Vic B. Amante to office this coming month of July, he will do everything within his political power to put our beloved San Pablo City to the tourist map of the Philippines, after all, he is the known architect of all the improvements we see in the city – San Pablo City Hospital, Pamantasan ng Lunsod ng San Pablo, SPC Convention Center, Paseo de San Pablo, rural high schools, among many others.
Let us all pray for the success of the city in all aspects.
Melinda Bagsic Evangelista
I was born to write and I believe that’s my calling. I love writing because it brings me to the realm exclusively of mine. It is also my opinion that “immortality” can be achieved not by searching for the Holy Grail and drinking from it but by living your life worth-writing or writing something worth-reading. Since I cannot promise you a life worth-writing, I keep myself busy writing something worth-reading. I am thankful to God for giving me the talent and skill to see life in different perspectives not seen by many and the courage to share it to my readers. This first ever Tutubi Digital News Magazine is a perfect avenue to bring you the many facets of life that you can ponder upon in this time of the pandemic. Enjoy reading all the articles.
