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Palace cites Boholanos' resiliency, swift revival of tourism after devastating quake


Malacañang on Sunday cited the arrival this weekend of what could be the first of several shiploads of foreign tourists to Bohol, barely three months after a magnitude-7.2 quake devastated the province.

Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. also said Saturday's arrival hundred of foreign tourists shows the resiliency of Bohol residents as they recover from last October's calamity.

"Ayon kay (Bohol) Gobernador (Edgar) Chatto, ilang cruise ship pa ang nakatakdang bumisita sa lalawigan bilang bahagi ng patuloy na pagsigla ng turismo sa lalawigan. Kaya tinatanghal po natin ang mabilis pagbangon at pagbabagong-tatag ng mga komunidad na nasalanta noong mga nakaraang kalamidad," Coloma said on government-run dzRB radio.

On Saturday, the Philippine Information Agency said a luxury cruise ship bearing 282 vacationers arrived in Tagbilaran.

Bohol was among the areas devastated by the Oct. 15 magnitude-7.2 quake that hit Central Visayas.

The quake caused heavy damage to many of Bohol's centuries-old churches, which are considered heritage sites.

Leyte bayanihan

Meanwhile, Coloma also lauded the bayanihan spirit in a village in Dulag town in Leyte, where residents are affected by super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

He said the efforts led by Dr. Marie Ann Corsino have helped 79 families rebuild their homes, and earned Filipinos the respect of the United Nations Development Programme.

Coloma said UNDP senior recovery coordinator Yuri Afanasiev had marveled at the speed of the recovery efforts.
 
Quoting Afanasiev, he said other countries like Indonesia and Thailand and Sri Lanka needed four months before they could start the early recovery phase.

"Nguni't batay sa obserbasyon sa mga lalawigan ng Leyte at Samar, nagsimula na ang rehabilitasyon sa mga lugar na ito bago pa umabot sa ikalawang buwan mula ng [humagupit] ang bagyo," he said. — LBG, GMA News

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