Sorsogon is again reopening its doors to both local and foreign travelers with better infrastructure, improved facilities and more attractions in several tourism sites, says its Governor Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
Escudero assured that “a more beautiful and better” province awaits travelers when they visit Sorsogon as the government has eased restrictions around the country with the decline in COVID-19 cases in the country.
“Noong nagsara ang mundo nang dahil sa pandemya, ginawa namin itong oportunidad upang mapaganda pa ang aming lalawigan (When the world closed due to the pandemic, we took the opportunity to improve the province),” said Escudero, who is seeking a Senate comeback in the May 2022 elections.
“Nagkaroon ng mga renovation at improvement sa ilan sa aming mga tourism sites, pati mga kalye at iba pang mga imprastraktura ay ipinagawa (There were renovations and improvement on some tourism sites, like roads and some infrastructures were fixed),” the governor explained.
On March 5, Escudero will lead the inauguration of the new Bulusan Eco-Tourism Center and Facilities, and the Bulusan Eco-Adventours at the Bulusan Natural Park, which has been closed since the March 2020 lockdown.
He further said amenities at the Bulusan Park have been upgraded and expanded to include an al fresco coffee shop and restaurant, a massage and spa area, and bigger souvenir shop.
The chief of the Sorsogon Provincial Tourism Office, Bobby Gigantone, expressed optimism that the town of Bulusan will attract even a fraction of the pre-pandemic tourist arrivals as the country transitions to the new normal phase.
In 2019, Bulusan received 141,000 visitors, mostly locals.
The town of Donsol has reopened its “butanding” (whale shark) interaction last week to welcome back tourists, with health protocols in place to ensure the safety of visitors.
Donsol has been known as the “Whale Shark Capital of the World,” and some 13,000 locals and foreigners visited the popular destination from January to May 2019, according to Gigantone.
Escudero said his province is more beautiful and better now due to their collective efforts to fix and improve the place during the lockdown.
“And I am excited to welcome both our kababayan and foreigner friends alike,” he said.
“Umaasa kami na muling pagbubukas ng aming pinto para sa turista, lokal man o banyaga, gugulong muli ang aming ekonomiya at mabubuhay muli ang mga negosyong nahimlay dahil sa pandemya (We expect that as we reopen doors to tourists, local or foreign, our economy will flourish again and will revive businesses),” he stressed.