Tourism Expected to Rise in Samar, Leyte with New Roads

More tourists will be able to visit Eastern Visayas with the completion of the roads leading to its tourists destinations particularly in Samar and Leyte.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar is anticipating such developments after DPWH Region 8 Director Nerie Bueno reported that the construction of the 1.7-kilometer access road leading to Calabato Hot Spring in the municipality of La Paz, Leyte has been finished.

With a PHP4-million budget for the concreting of the two-lane tourism road and construction of the arch bridge, the project is aimed to improve the municipality's tourist spot after it was damaged by Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

"This road development will not only boost tourism leading to Calabato Hot Spring but will also allow farmers in Barangay Bocawon to transport their produce faster and easier," Villar said.

In Samar, tourists are now enjoying the famous Lulugayan Falls dubbed as 'mini Niagara Falls' with the completion of the 7.78-kilometer road project in the Municipality of Calbiga.

The road project involved the construction of a two-lane concrete road, a 1.57-kilometer reinforced concrete girder, and a 3.22-kilometer reinforced concrete pipe implemented in three phases, amounting to PHP350-million.

Travel time from Calbiga proper to Lulugayan Falls traversing the mountainous Barangays of Polangi, Panayuran and Literon was reportedly reduced from 40 minutes to 10 minutes with the new access road.

"These tourism road projects are a part of the government's commitment to provide quality infrastructure that speeds up movement of people, goods, and services and spur economic growth," Villar added.