DOT breaks ground on eco-heritage museum in Southern Leyte

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco led the groundbreaking ceremony of the “Silago Ridge to Reef Eco-Experience Project (SIRREP): Promoting Sustainability Through Eco-Heritage Tourism” on Tuesday (June 17) in Silago, Southern Leyte. This is the fourth official project launched under the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) Tourism Champions Challenge (TCC) program.

An initiative under President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s agenda to expand sustainable and inclusive tourism infrastructure nationwide, the TCC, was launched by the DOT in 2023 in partnership with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA). It has earmarked a total of PHP 255 million to fund the top 15 local government unit-led tourism projects across the country.

Silago’s project, which ranked third in the Visayas island group secured PHP 15 million in funding. It aims to establish a state-of-the-art eco-heritage museum and visitor center, featuring the conservation of a 55-foot sperm whale skeleton. It will likewise serve as a hub for biodiversity education, multi-sectoral partnerships, environmental sustainability, and local capacity-building. This project will position Silago as a model for eco-tourism and climate resilience in the region.

Joining Secretary Frasco at the groundbreaking were Silago Mayor Lemuel Honor, Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado, Vice Governor Rosa Emilia Mercado, Representative Christopherson Yap represented by Mr. Manolo Siervo, Jr., DOT Undersecretary Shahlimar Hofer Tamano, Assistant Secretaries Judilyn Quiachon and Ronald Conopio, TIEZA Assistant Chief Operating Officer Gregory Oller, and DOT Region VIII Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes, along with officials from partner agencies and the local government.