ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanews/06 June) – The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) will build a P28-million hotel in Taganak Island in the Municipality of Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi.
TIEZA presented its project Wednesday to the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) which approved a resolution authorizing the project.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional information officer Rosevirico Tan said the tourism body needed approval of the project from PAMB as the policymaking body of the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary.
Tan said the project aims to boost ecotourism as well as accommodate tourists to the sanctuary.
Based on the plan, he said the hotel will consist of one main building and eight cottages, a restaurant, and a power house.
He said the other facilities that will be constructed are a small port for boats ferrying the visitors and tourists and an office for law enforcement personnel.
Tan said the project will be implemented within this year.
Turtle Islands is a remote 5th class municipality composed of seven islands in the province of Tawi-Tawi – Taganak, Sibaung, Boaan, Lihiman, Great Bakkungaan, Langaan, and Baguan.
Taganak is the largest island with an area of 116 hectares and the smallest is Sibaung with an area of only 0.1 hectare.
The municipality is located within the Sulu Sea at the southwestern tip of the country, at the edge of the international treaty limits separating the Philippines and Malaysia. (MindaNews)