Diane Hora | iMINDSPH
Sulu Province Philippines [September 18, 2024] – The province of Sulu joyously celebrated its 643rd Bangsa Sug Day, marking the occasion with a momentous event that included the groundbreaking and signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Provincial Government, the Department of Tourism, and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) for the establishment of a Tourist Rest Area (TRA) in the town of Patikul.
The MOA signing, held on September 18, was led by DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, TIEZA's Assistant Chief Operating Officer Jetro Lozada, Governor Abdusakur Tan, and Patikul Municipality Mayor Kabir Hayudini.
Outlined in the MOA are the roles and responsibilities of each party in the construction, management, and maintenance of the TRA to ensure its sustainability and efficient operation in accordance with DOT guidelines.
The TRA will have facilities such as restrooms, information desks, and a souvenir center to promote local products will be included. Additionally, the TRA will feature a Musalla prayer room for Muslim visitors, solar panels, and a rainwater catchment system.
Former Congressman Munir Arbison, Philippine Coast Guard Commodore Marco Antonio Gines, Philippine National Police Provincial Director Narciso Paragas, Provincial First Lady Nurunisah Abubakar-Tan, and heads of the Provincial Government's Department of Tourism also joined the event, demonstrating their support for the project.
The TRA project, alongside the signing of the MOA, aims to provide economic opportunities with its strategic location near the provincial capitol. Once completed, the Sulu TRA will be the fifth in Mindanao and the fifteenth nationwide, enhancing the tourist rest area network across the Philippines.
The MOA signing and groundbreaking ceremony took place in conjunction with the celebration of the 643rd Bangsa Sug Day. A few days before the celebration, the Supreme Court declared Sulu no longer part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
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