[smartads] The Department of Public Works and Highways-Samar First District Engineering Office (DPWH-Samar I) is envisioning Calbayog City as an alternative tourist destination by 2016.
The focus in the tourism master development plan of providing framework and direction to tourism development in the three provinces of Samar Island has pushed DPWH-Samar I to harness the tourism potentials of the city by providing access roads to tourist spots identified in the Department of Tourism-DPWH convergence program.
To date, site validations are currently being made by the planning and design staff of the district office to come up with a program of work and detailed estimate for each attractions.
Please continue reading at the original location HERE.
UJ Says: If they seriously want to make this city a tourist attraction, they need to resolve the phone and electric problems first and foremost. Getting those ‘real’ supermarkets built (Hypermarket & Robinson Mall) are also going to be important.
I have seen signs around Calbayog that says no littering. But have you seen a trash can where you can throw your litter along the streets? When we go into Calbayog I always take a bag with us to throw trash because I don’t what to be arrested for littering, you standout as a sore thumb with everyone watching your every move. Couple of years ago took bus from Manila to Calbayog and got stuck along road for 4 hrs next to rice field because road was washed out. By the time we left the place looked like the locale dump with trash from the people coming on board and saleing their items. Even the driver and conductor just swepted the trash off the bus onto the road.
I’ve never noticed that about the no trash cans. I’m going to look for that next time. They have people there to sweep up the street, so that person could take care of the trash at the same time, possibly.
After my one week visit there last week, my jury is still out. Maybe I did not stay there long enough to analyze things, but the trash appears to be a big problem, at all area attractions. Had a great time and ate healthy (healthy amount of food!). Even got to meet UJ!
Randy, your right about the trash, it is a problem. Things will definitely have to improve if they plan to have tourist here.
Meeting me should have been worth the whole trip, except I wasn’t in the best of shape. The gout is gone now, but the knee still hurts at times. It doesn’t hurt right now and I only have a problem after I wake up. I guess because it was in the same position for such a long time.
The new blog is still in the works. I’m the one that is holding it back. I have some things to get done that I haven’t yet. I’m working on it, that is why I haven’t had a post everyday. I should have it done in 2 or 3 days, but then I have 1 more project that will take another 2 or 3 days before we can bring the new site on line.
I’ve been reading responses here the last couple of days and I’m kind of on the fence. I like how peaceful and quiet this area is but it sure could use a face lift and an influx of money. I think the younger generation will help push the environemental factors a bit but even my wife has a tendency to just drop whatever wrapper she has where ever she happens to be standing. The harbor area on the island in particular is fairly nasty; everything runs down hill and ends up in the water but nobody cleans it up. The beaches could all use a grooming. Start a rumor that someone lost a diamond ring on the beaches and maybe they’ll get cleaned, lol. I think the infrastructure in general would need to be upgraded, a bit of paint splashed here and there, as well as liberal use of a pressure washer. I’d love to see the tourists come here and spend their money. You have to make it worth their while but I wouldn’t want to emulate Fields Ave or Boracay in order to do so though. This is the city of waterfalls. Present it as a place of natural beauty and make it an interesting spot to visit, while offering good value for the peso and even the Filipinos should want to visit.
Ditto.
Time does not stop for anyone. This is why things change even if we do not want it. I think the Ceriaco Hotel priced their selves out of business before they even opened. I try not to frequent places that charge world prices but pay workers slave wages. The only one you are helping is the owners who are trying to make their investment back in the first year or so. Granted it might add a few jobs for the locales but will it bring them up from still being poor according to what a living wage is. I have been going to Calbayog since the late sixtys and seen some of the changes over the years, some good and some bad. Like electricty,running water and paved roads. What I do not like is easier to get drugs, more crimes,trash along the beachs and keroake all night when I am trying to sleep.
Well George I ain’t been here that long, but I have seen a few changes. The Ciriaco does not get a lot of business, but they do have a lot of conferences there. They are also charging only 1/2 their regular fee, for the rest of this year I hear. The paved roads they just recently got and the electric they seem to be still trying to figure out. The beaches are getting pretty nasty though, I will highly agree on that. I don’t really like to go there anymore. I hope they figure it out and do something about it. I’m a heavy sleeper, so the Karaoke doesn’t bother me.
Hate to say it, but I like Calbayog just the way it is and it for sure doesnt need the tourism. Tourism will ruin the city of calbayog. Take the ceriaco hotel for instance. They have spent hundreds of thousands on that and they cant fill it with customers even if they wanted to. Personally the last thing i want to see here is more tourism.
Well Blair I can respect the opinion. In most ways I agree with you, but I don’t think we have to worry about it getting so bad it will ruin the place. I hope not anyway, because for those of us that live here, it’d be nice to have some decent stores and utilities. Because without those, the tourist may come, but they will not stay long and they will spread the word of the inadequate services, which will cause others not to show, so those things must be improved. They could improve those things without going through the whole tourism thing, but we know that won’t happen in our life time. It seems a small price to pay to get the services. Plus I don’t live in the downtown area, so maybe it won’t be so crowded here. Of course if we ever open the restaurant, then more tourist would be good for that. Personally I’d rather just have the shopping & facilities without the tourist, restaurant or not, but I don’t think it will happen without that potential for the extra revenue from the tourists for the Philippines.
I noticed Breadmix lost out when Jolly Bee moved into town and they had down side their A/C units from stand alone to window units. Before you had to wait for seat, but now very few customer, if not setting infront of A/C you are sweating when eating, not like before. Now people go to Jolly Bee to be cool when waiting for order and eating.
I’ve been to Breadmix twice. The first time was back in 2000 and the next time was 2010. I just thought I didn’t remember it correctly, but maybe it’s for the reason you just gave that it didn’t seem as good the 2nd time.
This is because most companys in the Philippines have the attitude that people should be happy with the service they are getting even if it is substandard or the most expensive, without them there would be none, so they see no reason to improve. The attitude is take it or do without. With no competition this will go on.
That is exactly what I have been saying almost since I’ve been here. Competition is needed in many areas here or things will never get better.
JustMar for example is the biggest grocery around here, but it sucks. When the ‘real’ supermarkets get here, they will pay for being so substandard and end up being forced out of business.
Without serious improvements in water,electric,phone,internet services,without a serious source of grocery,refrigerated products in this town you are only going to get lack luster drive through tourism,few will live here,but more will refuse to stay here. Build all the access roads you want to site seeing locations tourists won’t stay long enough if they can’t get simple conveniences or reliable water,electric,phone services
You are absolutely right Rick. There are too many other places that won’t be so inconvenient in this world and even here in the Philippines. Why a decent sized city like Calbayog has to be so screwed up in so many areas at the same time is inexcusable in my opinion.