The PHP10 million tourist rest area (TRA) in Antique’s premier tourist destination in the town of San Remigio will start operations in time for Christmas.

San Remigio Mayor Margarito Mission Jr. said in an interview on Wednesday that since the groundbreaking on Nov. 21, 2023, the TRA is about 70 percent complete and is expected to be ready by December 2025.

“We expect that the TRA will be finished this December to provide better facilities for tourists who would come during Christmastime,”he said.

He said that only a few finishing touches are left to be done on the main structure, funded by the Department of Tourism-Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (DOT-TIEZA).

“The TRA is being established in a more than 2-hectare lot in Barangay Aningalan,”Mission said.

Barangay Aningalan is dubbed as the “Baguio of Panay” for its cold climate and beautiful mountain scenery. Tourists, even from other places in the country, come to visit the place.

The TRA features clean restrooms, an information desk and a souvenir shop where the local food products of the San Remigio, such as turmeric and ginger tea, camote chips, and non-food items such as bamboo baskets and gift items will be displayed for sale to tourist visitors.

Aningalan is also producing fresh vegetables, root crops and fruits that tourists would love to buy. (PNA)