Tacloban City – In order to cater to the tourism and information needs of the visitors and the local people, the Tanauan Tourism and Information Center was formally inaugurated on July 6, 2007, Mayor Roque Tiu informed. This, Mayor Tiu said is a humble contribution to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s Super Region Prooject and her thrust of making Central Philippines where Tanauan belongs, to become the Tourism Capital of the Philippines.

Strategically located at the Embarkadero Square just beside the Senior Citizens Building and infront of the Tanauan Police Station along Real Street, the Tanauan Tourism and Information Center building was funded by First District of Leyte Congresswoman Remedios L. Petilla.

Being the vice chairman of the Tourism Committee of the House of Representatives, Congresswoman Petilla thought of providing Tourism and Information Centers in the bigger municipalities of the First District. Last year, Congresswoman Petilla also donated a tourism van to Tanauan and the other municipalities of the First District.

Congresswoman Petilla, during the Inauguration of the said Tanauan Tourism and Information Center, lauded Mayor Roque Tiu for maximizing the use of the center by also putting a display of the town’s local indigenous products, aside from the usual tourism and information materials. She expressed hope that the other municipalities would also maximize the use of their respective Tourism and Information Centers.

What makes the Tanauan Tourism and Information Center distinct and unique, is Mayor Tiu’s initiative in tapping the talents of the out of school youth who were organized into the Tanauan Workmanlike Organization, who were trained to man the Center.

The members of the TAWO were trained by the Department of Tourism last year, Mayor Tiu said and just recently, they underwent a training on Tour guiding organized by a local travel agency. In the near future, the members will be trained on information gathering and dissemination by the Philippine Information Agency so that they will be able to know the techniques in providing the right information about the municipality, Mayor Tiu added.

Mayor Tiu expressed the gratitude of the town to Congresswoman Petilla for her innovative projects which are the real answers to the needs of the various municipalities. Through Congresswoman Petilla’s Tourism and Information Center project, the potentials of the young people of Tanauan will be put to good use and will further enhance the productivity of the youth, Mayor Tiu said.

He said that the TAWO was organized in August of 2005 through the initiative of the ALS coordinator Mrs. Carol Morantte, the municipal DSWD and Mayor Roque Tiu.. It is composed of young skilled workers and out-of-school youth, desirous of improving their lives. Since then, TAWO members underwent training on T-shirt and ribbons printing, stage decoration and plate and cups photo printing and engraving. The organization, to date, with the funding from Congresswoman Petilla is running a Gotohan, a proof of their being young entrepreneurs.

The success of the group in these undertakings, earned for them confidence in themselves and the confidence of Mayor Tiu and the local officials.

Mayor Tiu trusts that with the TAWO members manning the Tanauan Tourism and Information Center, the center will be able to achieve the purpose for which it was built.

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