TACLOBAN CITY – The local business community and tourism sector have expressed their support for the construction of a state-of-the-art convention center in Tacloban, citing its potential to boost economic growth and tourism in the city.
Officials from both sectors view this development as a game-changer that will strengthen Tacloban’s position as a key player in the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Events (MICE) industry.
“This is truly a project that the region has been looking forward to. A facility like this is what we lack in terms of promoting Region 8—and Tacloban in particular—as a MICE destination,” said Department of Tourism (DOT) Eastern Visayas Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes.
She noted that Tacloban and nearby Palo town are strategic locations for MICE-related activities due to the presence of most hotels and accommodation facilities in the region.
With the construction of the convention center, Tacloban will soon be able to compete with other major cities in the Visayas and Mindanao in hosting large-scale conferences and conventions, Tiopes added.
The business community also sees the project as an opportunity to attract more investments.
Colai Go of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (PCCI) Tacloban-Leyte emphasized that this project will enhance Tacloban’s competitiveness as a highly urbanized city.
“We are expecting more projects like this so we can compete with bigger cities. The business sector is very excited, and we hope that more developments will be implemented in Tacloban,” Go said.
On February 7, Speaker Martin Romualdez led the groundbreaking ceremony for the Benjamin Romualdez International Convention Center (BRICC), alongside top officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Eastern Visayas.
Named after Speaker Romualdez’s late father, who served as Leyte governor from 1967 to 1986, the P750-million facility will be built on a more than two-hectare lot inside the former Leyte Park Hotel compound.
Initially designed to accommodate 2,200 people, Speaker Romualdez requested DPWH Regional Director Edgar Tabacon to revise the design and increase the seating capacity to 5,000 to attract larger events.
“If we can maximize the capacity to 5,000, I think we will attract more events, especially since we are also planning to build a world-class hotel here to support the convention center,” Romualdez said.
The three-story BRICC will house meeting rooms, conference halls, and other modern event facilities on the second and third floors.
Speaker Romualdez also confirmed plans to construct a hotel nearby to cater to guests attending events at the convention center.
“Let the Benjamin Romualdez International Convention Center be a platform for building connections, a showcase of the region’s wealth and experiences for the country and the world. This is a monument to the world-class efforts of every hardworking and forward-looking Taclobanon,” Romualdez said.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
