6 Sorsogon tourist spots to get a ‘facelift’
- Bicolmail Web Admin
- Sep 6
- 3 min read
By Benilda Recebido
SORSOGON CITY --- The provincial government of Sorsogon plans to redevelop six major tourist towns this year to transform the province into a premier and sustainable tourism destination in the Bicol region.
During a press conference, Governor Jose Edwin Hamor presented the proposed tourism redevelopment program to local media representatives and stakeholders, outlining specific plans for revitalizing key destinations.
Hamor explained that the initial redevelopment will focus on six municipalities.
In Donsol, a 2.7-kilometer beachfront will be illuminated and cleared of waste to enhance the quality of its white sand. Additionally, a monument featuring the whale shark, or butanding, will be installed near the town bridge as a new tourism landmark.
Matnog’s Subic Beach, which stretches for nearly 800 meters, will be enhanced with lights, colorful flaglets, and small seaside structures.
In Gubat, facilities at Rizal Beach will be upgraded to include solar-powered lighting and free rinse stations located every 500 meters.
Irosin, known for its hot springs, will see improved access roads leading to Monbon, which will be expanded and uniformly fenced to provide better access to resorts.
In Prieto Diaz, mangrove areas will be rehabilitated by clearing away plastic waste and obstructions. Floating rafts will be constructed to serve as eco-friendly tourist attractions, with a strict prohibition on generators to protect local biodiversity.
Meanwhile, in Bulusan, there are plans for the construction of a cable car system that will connect Bulusan Lake to Dancalan Beach in Donsol.
Bobby Gigantone, head of the Sorsogon Provincial Tourism, Culture and Arts Office (SPTCAO), emphasized the significance of revitalizing and modernizing the province’s tourism sites to attract both local and domestic visitors.
“This is encompassing in a sense that we want to revitalize, we want to upgrade our existing tourism potential destinations in Sorsogon by incorporating infrastructure development,” said Gigantone.
“For almost three to five years, when local and domestic tourists visit, they would ask what’s new in Sorsogon. What we want is to rebrand and modernize our tourism sites,” he added.
Hamor assured that the redevelopment program is designed not only to attract more visitors but also to stimulate the local economy and create livelihood opportunities for residents of Sorsogon, all while preserving the environment and the province’s cultural identity.
As part of the redevelopment plan, the governor has initiated on-ground consultations with communities and stakeholders to ensure inclusive planning.
On August 27, a public consultation was held in Barangay Monbon, Irosin, for the proposed tourism redevelopment project. The following day, Hamor visited Subic Beach in Matnog to meet with residents, resort owners, and local officials and discuss the redevelopment plan.
On August 29, there was a dialogue with residents of barangays Rizal and Buenavista in Gubat regarding the planned redevelopment of Rizal Beach Resort.
Luis Cardel of the DENR-Environment Management Bureau expressed the agency’s support for the redevelopment of tourism sites in Sorsogon.
“Our office will be responsible for assessing where the project will be implemented in Subic Beach. We will ensure that the development will not cause any adverse impact, particularly on health and in the construction of the projects.
“Our office will assist and ensure that the initiative is carried out in accordance with the environmental mandate entrusted to us,” Cardel said. (Bertuldo Jr. Bueza contributed to this report/ PIA Bicol/Sorsogon)
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