Opening a new road connecting Antique and Iloilo provinces will boost the tourism industry, especially in Barangay Aningalan in San Remigio.

The new road connects from Iloilo City, passing through municipalities of Oton, Tigbauan, Guimbal, and Tubungan in Iloilo to Aningalan.

“Iloilo City is only about one and a half hours now from Aningalan, San Remigio because of the road opening,” said Mayor Margarito Mission, Jr., in an interview on Monday.

He said that before, traveling to Aningalan takes around three hours. From Iloilo City, one has to travel via the Hamtic town for two hours and another hour to Aningalan.

The barangay is known as “Little Baguio” of Antique.

The new road opened ahead of the Holy Week, allowing tourists to spend their Lent in the destination, a respite from the extreme heat because of its cooler environment.

While he has no exact number of tourists who visited Aningalan last week, he said it could be a record high.

“The road will also be an alternative to the Hamtic, Antique to San Joaquin (route) that frequently experiences landslides,” he said.

Mission and Miag-ao, Iloilo Mayor Oscar “Richard” Garin Jr. had an ocular inspection of the remaining 1.6 kilometers of unpaved road from the portion of Iloilo on March 24.

The Antique official requested Garin to seek help from Iloilo’s First District Rep. Janette Garin, for the clearing and graveling of the road portion. (PNA)