San Remigio: A PHP10 million Tourist Rest Area (TRA) will soon rise in upland Barangay Aningalan in San Remigio, Antique, following its groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday. The initiative aims to enhance the experience of tourists by providing convenient amenities, including clean restrooms, a coffee shop, and a souvenir shop, all accessible free of charge. According to Philippines News Agency, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, who led the groundbreaking ceremony, stated that the TRA is a project initiated by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. Frasco mentioned that the facility was requested by Senator Loren Legarda to boost the tourism industry in the province of Antique. She expressed optimism about the project's potential, anticipating that the returns from the TRA would be tenfold due to its amenities, benefiting not only the TRA site but also neighboring areas. Frasco also noted that other local government units (LGUs) in Antique could request a similar facility through Senator Legarda and Ant ique Representative Antonio Agapito Legarda. In an interview, Rep. Legarda explained that San Remigio was chosen as the first site in the province for the TRA due to the availability of suitable land for the project. He also mentioned plans for a subsequent TRA to be established in the northern part of Antique. San Remigio Municipal Mayor Margarito Mission revealed plans to develop the 2.6-hectare TRA site into an event center, facilitating tourism-related activities and important occasions. The establishment of this facility is expected to attract more tourists to Barangay Aningalan, popularly known as 'Little Baguio' for its cool climate and scenic mountain views. The area saw around 3,000 tourists last summer, and visitor numbers are expected to rise with the new amenities in place. In a formal agreement, Frasco, Rep. Legarda, and Mayor Mission signed a Memorandum of Agreement for the local government to maintain and operate the TRA, ensuring its sustainability and ongoing contribution to the local touri sm sector.