LEGAZPI CITY -– With the good news that the President herself gave the green light for the release of funds for the proposed first international airport to be built in Bicol, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, who served as presidential economic adviser under Pres.Arroyo, said that he would push for vigorous tourism promotion programs as the key pillar of economic growth in the province.

        He said that to promote tourism, “there is a need to fast track the construction of the Bicol International Airport in Alobo, Daraga, Albay.”

        At the same time, the governor issued Executive Order N0. 1 asking the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Albay led by Vice Gov. Brando Sael to create a task force that would oversee the development of the highland plateau of Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga and Legazpi City as relocation site and investment area.

        Under the governor’s disaster risk-reduction strategy, residential houses would be transferred from high-risk lowland areas to the highland plateau where they are safe from volcanic eruption and lahar from Mayon Volcano, and incidents of floods and tsunami.

        Although super typhoons could strike anywhere even in the mountains, he said residents settled in the highland plateaus are safer from volcanic eruptions, lahar and tsunami.

        He also said a proposed road project would connect Albay to Donsol town in Sorsogon, where the whale sharks, locally known as butanding, have been attracting tourists from here and abroad. The new route would take shorter travel time from Albay going to Donsol town.

        The Bicol region is part of the Central Philippines tourism super region identified by the President. The region covers 27 provinces in Southern Tagalog (including Palawan), Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Western Mindanao, Northern Mindanao and Caraga.