TACLOBAN CITY - The Gokongwei group of companies is set to construct a five-star hotel in Calicoan Island, Guiuan, Eastern Samar anytime in the next few years.
In an exclusive interview with Leyte Samar Daily Express recently, re-elected Eastern Samar Vice-Governor Leander Geli said the people behind the Gokongwei group themselves confided this to him in a meeting they had in Cebu lately.
“Based on our conversation, they are already decided to put up the establishment in Calicoan and they’re just waiting until other important considerations are settled. It’s just a matter of time now,” Geli said.
He said the hotel to be built in now famous Calicoan Island would initially have 250 rooms with a design at par with what is expected of a five star first class hotel.
Geli said the Gokongwei group, however, did not disclose the particular period of time when they would start building the structure that would perhaps be the first in Eastern Visayas region.
“But they reveled that they might start the planning works next year and other related necessary preparations before actually building the structure,” Geli said.
According to him, the construction of this first class hotel in a prime tourist destination in Eastern Visayas could be done in a matter of three years.
He said the Gokongwei group decided to put up this big investment in Calicoan Island as they see the place’s enormous potential in the business.
The congestion in other urban places like Manila, Cebu, and even Tacloban is also one reason that the Gokongwei group wanted this big project to be built in Calicoan Island.
Geli, for his part, said he is happy about the plans of the Gokongwei group as this could serve as a turning point in the tourism industry in Eastern Samar province.
“We are glad to see that we are now seeing slowly the fruits of our labors. Surely, we will also invest all our efforts in improving the place (Calicoan Island) and we will be in support to the endeavors of the investors that would decide to come in,” Geli said.
