MORE ACCESS TO CENTRAL PHILIPPINES TOURIST AREAS EYED.

MANILA, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The government will further open up people's access to tourist destinations in Central Philippines.

This aims to generate more public revenues that will help improve the socio-economic conditions nationwide, particularly in such super regions which President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo identified as the country's eco-tourism centres for recreation and scientific research.

Central Philippines is home to beaches and other natural wonders which local and foreign authorities consider as either comparable to or better than those found in other countries.

"We'll boost countryside development through the super regions," the Chief Executive said Thursday during a roundtable discussion with Department of Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano and a number of the region's tourism stakeholders.

The government earlier identified North Luzon, Metro Luzon and Mindanao as the country's three other super regions.

According to Durano, the government will facilitate access to the Central Philippines' tourist destinations by implementing more infrastructure projects like construction and rehabilitation of airports, roads and seaports.

President Arroyo is optimistic that tourism in Central Philippines will help hike the 5.5 per cent growth in gross domestic product which she said the country already achieved during the second quarter of 2006.