Tourist convenience in SOCCSKSARGEN received a boost after the Department of Tourism (DOT), led by Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, inaugurated the region’s first-ever Tourist Rest Area (TRA) on Friday, 22 August, in Tacurong City.

Located within the Sultan Kudarat Economic Zone along the National Highway in Barangay EJC Montilla, the TRA will serve as a key stopover for travelers going to and from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Cotabato, South Cotabato, and General Santos City. It is also expected to complement the tourism circuits of Tacurong City and Sultan Kudarat Province, home to attractions such as the Baras Bird Sanctuary, La Palmera Mountain Ridge, and the iconic Provincial Capitol.

“The inauguration of a Tourist Rest Area for Sultan Kudarat, a first for SOCCSKSARGEN, is but an addition to the work that you have already done here to strengthen the firmament of tourism,” Frasco said during the turnover ceremony.

Frasco was joined by Undersecretary Shahlimar Hofer Tamano, Governor Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu, Vice Governor Prince Raden, Tacurong City Mayor Lina Montilla, TIEZA Assistant Chief Operating Officer Jetro Nicolas Lozada, and other regional officials. She described Sultan Kudarat as a “land of hospitality and opportunity” and vowed that the DOT’s partnership with the province will continue.

“With this collaboration between the national government and the local government, all of us can work hand-in-hand to ensure that the benefits of tourism are felt on the ground,” she said. “With the rise of the Tourist Rest Area in Sultan Kudarat, you are also showing that you are a land of hospitality and opportunity. You send your message that Sultan Kudarat is ready; it is open to welcome the world and to shape its future with tourism.”

Governor Mangudadatu welcomed the development, calling it a milestone not only for the province but for the entire SOCCSKSARGEN region.

“With the establishment of a TRA, marami pa po mga proyekto at programa ang darating,” he said. “Kami po sa Sultan Kudarat, we are honored and privileged because it gives us the feeling na kami po ay kasama sa priority ng Department of Tourism at ng national government.”

The provincial government also launched the “Coffee Experience in the Tourist Rest Area” program, highlighting Sultan Kudarat’s status as the country’s top coffee producer with over 20,000 hectares of farms producing Robusta, Arabica, and specialty beans. Visitors will enjoy free coffee throughout the TRA’s first month of operations.

As part of her advocacy for tourism workers, Frasco also distributed tour guiding kits and personal accident insurance to community guides in Sultan Kudarat. The kits include sunscreen, a Love The Philippines notebook and pen, tumbler, hat, shades, and a portable lapel microphone.