Landslide-battered Baguio is back in business

BAGUIO, Philippines – A week after it was isolated from the rest of the country by landslides at the height of typhoon “Pepeng," the country’s summer capital is back in business. “We are more than okay, everything is back to normal," said Mayor Peter Bautista, as he declared the highland resort city reopened to tourists. Bautista said the city has, in fact, been faring better than worse-hit areas in the region. Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB) president Anthony De Leon said, “We are back in business. We have setbacks but all of this is manageable." In November the city is hosting the Advertising Congress, which is estimated to bring over 5,000 participants. It is also hosting the annual Fil-American Golf Tournament that is expected to attract 1,300 golfers for two weeks. “If these conventions take place tomorrow, we are still ready," said De Leon. Nonetheless, the Ad Congress board is set to review the bid of the city in hosting the event after typhoon “Pepeng" ravaged northern Luzon. “The board will be going here to inspect road conditions and booked venues," he said. Landslides caused by "Pepeng" have affected 14 kilometers of roads, adding a few hours to travel time. “That is the only setback, but all the booked venues are ready. They were not affected by the storm," De Leon said. Reviving tourism In recent months, the Baguio Convention and Visitors Bureau (BCVB) has been working double time to increase the market for tourism in the mountain resort and nearby areas. The group launched the Baguio– La Trinidad – Itogon – Sablan – Tuba (BLIST) sites last month at the Philippine Travel Mart in Metro Manila with an outdoor adventure theme. Package tours in the neighboring municipalities are now offered to create a new market for tourists. The BLIST concept was formulated to attract a younger market, which has been found to pull more arrivals into the city. A study by the BCVB revealed that the youth dictate where to hold family vacations. Since its launching, the highest grosser so far for all the destinations is Ambuklao Dam in Bokod town, where kayaking is featured. Ambuklao is the first of three dams along Agno River. Downstream are Binga in Itogon, Benguet and San Roque Dam in San Manuel and San Nicolas, Pangasinan. Excess water released by the three dams at the height of typhoon “Pepeng" caused heavy flooding in many towns of Pangasinan last week. - GMANews.TV