TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Nov. 24 (PIA) -- Key tourism issues were raised by communities during the Dagyaw 2022 Regional town hall meetings hosted by Bohol on Nov. 17.

The said issues involved halal food, barrier-free tourism for persons with disability, accreditation of tourism establishments, new tourism products packages, tourism accreditation, sustainable tourism, fuel subsidy for tricycle drivers, honoraria for civil society organizations and bringing the Dagyaw dialogue down to the grassroots.

Dagyaw, the government’s platform for fostering multi-sectoral convergence through social accountability, has been implemented by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for geographically isolated and depressed areas in Bohol with the aim of providing venues for dialogue between government and the community in the implementation of programs, projects, and plans.

Bohol Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado, in his welcome message, stressed the need for venues such as Dagyaw which are necessary tools to foster dialogue between sectors to identify specific issues that need to be given attention by the government.

“There should be an open, neutral and protected space for everyone to express their ideas and comments of the latest action of the Administration in solving problems,” said Aumentado who led the regional face-to-face Dagyaw in an online and blended  event simultaneously done in Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.

“Dagyaw 2022, open government town hall meetings are a great way of relaying the different programs while assuring people’s voices are heard,” the governor said.

In Bohol, the Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 7, civil society initiated tourism activities, and participatory governance tools were the top presenters upon which stakeholders want issues clarified, tweaked, and enhanced.

DOT7 Chief Operations Officer Judy Gabato presented the region’s 2022 Plans and Programs in reviving and recovering the slumped tourism industry and recalibrating and strengthening regional tourism products in developing new circuits.

She said that under Outdoors 7, Bohol now has verified mountain bike trails in northeastern Bohol, vegan and organic farms, wellness centers and adventure destinations, Marian Church pilgrimages, culinary and food trips, as well as new dive packages.

CSO representative and Bohol Transport Cooperative official Joselino Baritua also presented the World Wildlife Fund-assisted Pamilacan Island Dolphin and Whale Watching Tours as well as transport problems with the absence of a province-wide route plan which is necessary for new transport franchise issuances.

Participatory Governance Metrics, which was developed in Bohol, was also presented in the goal of furthering participative governance.

From these topics, Dagyaw participants both in Bohol and online joined the open forum, allowing for more in-depth discussions which the DILG noted and its outputs documented.

Aumentado said the outputs of these kind of activities serve as key references for the government in shaping its decisions and policies.
DILG7 Regional Director Leocadio Trovela pointed out during the program that people might seldom notice it, but dialogues often cause changes in government policies.

He said Dagyaw is also a way to communicate good governance and reforms, open a venue for citizens to participate in the discussions and unleash local government potentials, nourish the development of governments, and innovate governance processes as well as enhance the capabilities of the DILG. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)