CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro (PIA) — A total of 77.39 kilometers of roads under the Tourism Road Infrastructure Project (TRIP) of the Department of Tourism were completed in the MIMAROPA region in 2024.
According to DOT MIMAROPA Director Roberto P. Alabado III, the completion of the infrastructure projects further enhanced accessibility and had promoted the region as a prime tourist destination in the country.
“These infrastructure developments are a huge step toward enhancing tourism in the MIMAROPA region. With the completion of these roads, we are opening up more opportunities for visitors and supporting the local economy,” Alabado said.
The TRIP is a collaboration between the DOT, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and various local government units (LGUs) to develop and upgrade roads leading to tourist destinations.
He highlighted the positive impact of the project in connecting major islands and communities across the MIMAROPA region, particularly in remote or previously underserved areas.
“Ito po yung tinatawag natin na “last mile”…so mula po sa national highway papunta sa mga beaches na gusto nating puntahan [or] sa mga far tourism sites or sa ating mga waterfalls na pinupuntahan po,” he said.
He cited, among others, the construction of the access road in Palawan province that led to a declared tourism destination in El Salvador Falls in Barangay Pulot, Sofronio Espanola town.
Another one is the completion of an 80-millimeter asphalt overlay on Calapan South Road, a crucial route for transportation between Roxas’ town center and neighboring towns in Oriental Mindoro. DPWH said earlier that this project is seen to “attract more tourists by providing safer and more convenient travel going to the magnificent San Rafael Cave, the largest cave in Oriental Mindoro declared as safe by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.”
With smoother and better-maintained roads, visitors can now explore a wider range of areas within the provinces of MIMAROPA from pristine beaches to rich cultural heritage sites. (ALG/PIA MIMAROPA-Oriental Mindoro)
