Camarines Sur capitol complex declared tourism economic zone
by GB Claveria
Pili, Camarines Sur (23 November) -- Through the leadership of Governor LRay Villafuerte, Camarines Sur has earned another distinction as the first and only local government unit (LGU) to establish and operate a tourism park in the country.
This developed with the recent issuance of Presidential Proclamation No. 1932 by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo designating several parcels of public land totaling 73-hectares right within the provincial capitol complex, covering barangays Cadlan, Pili and Maycatmon, Milaor, as a special economic zone primarily for tourism development.
The approval by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) of the application of CamSur to build and operate a special tourism estate is expected to further boost the local economy by encouraging tourism-related investments and generating more employment that will have very positive impact on local growth and development.
Camarines Sur presently enjoys another similar distinction as the first LGU to establish and operate an Information Technology Park (ITP), also at the confine of the extensive provincial capitol complex and likewise approved by PEZA as a special economic zone.
Sutherland Global Services, one of the country's biggest business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, has already set up a center in the ITP with an initial 750-seat capacity and will be expanded to 2,000 before the year ends.
The 73 hectare tourism estate, which already boasts of the CamSur Watersports Complex (CWC)-considered the best wake park in the world-, 300 room cabins and cabanas, a convention center, the 18 hectare Lago Del Rey Aqua Park, a skate park and other existing facilities, is also expected to further fortify the province stature as the country's number one tourism destination in 2009 as cited by the Department of Tourism. (MMEC) [top]
