TIEZA eyes to redevelop beachfronts in Cebu towns

THE TOURISM Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) is set to sign a tripartite agreement with the Provincial Government and the local governments of Dalaguete, Argao and Moalboal for the redevelopment, reopening and initial operation of their prime beach properties in these southern Cebu towns.

Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia with TIEZA chief operating officer Mark Lapid. (Junjie Mendoza)

This was announced recently by TIEZA chief operating officer Mark Lapid who, together with Gov. Gwen Garcia and municipal mayors, inspected the Argao Beach Club (now known as Dalaguete Beach Park), a property owned by TIEZA which is located in the village Casay, Dalaguete town.

Lapid said that TIEZA is keen on activating the area into a tourism destination through this tripartite arrangement, and later on look for private partners who will invest in the development of the beach park, which used to be one of the tourism prime spots in the south.

The property, located just on the Argao-Dalaguete boundary, is currently maintained by TIEZA and has been abandoned for many years. It has an area of 12.2 hectares.

Another 11-hectare TIEZA property is lying unproductive along the diving haven of Panagsama Beach in the village of Basdiot in Moalboal. TIEZA is also looking to partner with the LGU in making the most out of this prime piece of land.

TIEZA is also interested in developing into an airstrip, another of its properties in Dalaguete. It will have a runway of 1.2 kilometers long inside a 7.7-hectare property. It would be Cebu’s first commercial airstrip in the south, after those commercial airports that are under development in the islands of Bantayan and Camotes.

Garcia pointed out that these major partnerships with TIEZA are all for the benefit of Cebu’s tourism industry. “I believe that, right now, with the President’s call on tourism being a key economic driver, we are now looking at tourism as a major factor in our hopes to revive an economy devastated by Covid-19,” she said during her meeting with Lapid and municipal mayors in Dalaguete.

Once these plans are realized, Garcia believes these will be Lapid’s legacy at TIEZA. Lapid also announced that he’s going to present to the TIEZA Board the plans for the redevelopment of these properties within this month.

Lapid expressed optimism that they would be able to open these properties to the public by December. He said the initial plan would be for TIEZA to allot development funds to redevelop these properties, but the long-term plan is to let private partners come in and invest.

He noted that TIEZA looks forward to a long-term partnership with the province in realizing the dreams for the betterment of Cebu’s tourism industry. (CL/IPA)