Guided tour around the legendary Paoay Lake in Ilocos Norte will soon be available for tourists following the approval of PHP180 million in funding by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA).

Ilocos Norte tourism officer Ianree Raquel confirmed on Friday that the development project is set to begin this year, which is aimed at enhancing tourism and generating livelihood opportunities for the locals.

The project includes the establishment of three viewing stations around the 387-hectare lake to accommodate tourists engaging in activities such as bird watching and boat rides on non-motorized water vessels.

The first station will be the Paoay Lake Central Station, which will have a tourist center, cottages, a retention wall, a floating dock, and a parking area and embankment.

The second station will feature a clubhouse and boathouse with a floating dock, while the third station will be developed as a bird-watching zone that will include a showcase of pinakbet (Filipino dish of various vegetables) farm and an esplanade.

“Paoay will really be developed and we’ll activate the lake. We really need tourism to become sustainable,” Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc said during a media interview on Thursday at the Capitol.

As part of efforts to attract more visitors, particularly from Korea, Japan and China, Manotoc said they are also planning to reopen the 18-hole golf course in Barangay Suba and a casino at Fort Ilocandia.

The province is anticipating increased foreign arrivals, especially when international flights resume at Laoag Airport.

Paoay Lake’s development is part of Ilocos Norte’s broader efforts to promote tourism, alongside other attractions such as the Bangui Windmills, Saud Beach in Pagudpud, and the UNESCO-listed St. Augustine Church in Paoay. (PNA)