Iloilo vies for ASEAN Clean City Award

Iloilo City is vying for the ASEAN Clean Tourist City Standard Award (ACTCS) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the conduct of actual validation and on-site inspection on Sept. 10.

ACTCS aims to provide ASEAN members with a tool that will improve their tourism quality, increase marketing competitiveness but also improve the situation of residents and livelihood by alleviating poverty.

Mayor Jerry P. Treñas hopes the assessment will affirm the city’s beautification and clean and green efforts, and massive tourism promotions.

Department of Tourism (DOT)’s Office of Tourism Standards and Regulation Director Rebecca Villanueva-Labit wrote Treñas that a team from the Standard Development Division and DOT Regional Office 6 will visit the sites and validate compliance to criteria requirements.

The team will look into the following:

• promotional materials for tourist product including paraphernalia, leaflet, video clips, and tariff rates for standardized tour packages;
• the city’s report to include policies and legislations related to environment protection such as solid waste management, water efficiency and wastewater management, air pollution management systems;
• awareness campaign and programs on environmental protection and cleanliness implemented;
• maintenance plans and cleaning schedules of parks and public toilets;
• ordinances related to growth of tourism industry;
• performance statistics including crime rate, trained tourist polices, trainings and capacity building for identified personnel;
• filled-up survey forms to gauge the level of satisfaction of tourist and summary survey results;
• documentation on Risk Management System to include Emergency Response Team (ERT) and proof of trainings and capacity building of core personnel involved in security and safety; and
• other documents deemed necessary to substantiate the city’s best practices.

They will also hold interviews and meetings of processes undertaken by city with regard to its tourism development as well as environmental management system.

They will involve those concerned including City Tourism and Development Office, City Environmental and Natural Resources Office, City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, and City Planning and Development Office. (PIO)