By Bernadette Magoncia
Members of Kalibo's Sangguniang Bayan pass a new legislation aimed at allocating more funds for tourism and cultural development and requesting the Municipal Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office's (MTCAO) to be an independent department.
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| Photo: Panay News |
The law is authored by Councilors Phillip Yerro Kimpo and Ronald L. Marte which calls for independence and larger budget for tourism and cultural development since the current office is under the Economic Enterprise Office and has limited budget.
"The tourism and cultural branch of Kalibo has to be elevated into a distinct, high-level office with a dedicated budget and more staff," according to Councilor Kimpo. "Heritage, culture, and the arts require more recognition as a creative industry and a catalyst for economic development." he added After the required committee meeting, the bill—which also aims to support the hiring of additional skilled tourism-cultural officers—is currently in the second reading in the plenary.