The agriculture and tourism sectors continue to be the main thrust of Western Visayas because these provide the region a very competitive advantage over other regions in the country, a government press release said.

Economic and Development Authority OIC assistant regional director, Estela Paredes, cited the region's performance in these two industries from 2009 that served as basis for the formulation of the 2011-2016 Regional Development Plan of Western Visayas.

Paredes said these are key areas that should be looked into because they are big potentials of the region.

The region, Paredes also said, was first in sugar and carabao production; second in palay and municipal fishery and third in commercial fishery.

However, she said she hoped that the industry will translate into manufacturing even as the region is slowly embracing it.

The region also has contributed one-third of the country's total tourist arrival also for the same period and the big chunk came from Boracay Island in Aklan, the press release said.

Tourist arrival in Aklan translated to tourist receipts amounting to P33 billion in 2009, it added.

Paredes also said the Regional Development Council has already endorsed the resolution for the expansion of the Iloilo airport and improvement at the Bacolod-Silay airport.*

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