TOURISTS traveling across Cebu will soon have easier access to comfort rooms as the Provincial Tourism Office (PTO) has started an island-wide survey to identify clean and accessible facilities along highways, gasoline stations, and tourism rest areas.
In an interview with SunStar Cebu on Dec. 23, 2025, Provincial Tourism Head Rowena Montecillo said the survey is part of the PTO’s ongoing initiative for 2025, with initial inputs coming from city and municipal tourism officers who identified possible toilet facilities across the island.
“Because that has always been one of the things that we lack—where they can use clean toilets. So, we are identifying that. First, the gasoline stations that have already been identified by the tourism officers. But our team will have to go and verify how clean, how open, how closed, whether we need to pay, or if it is free—all of this—so that the information can be disseminated,”Montecillo said.
She said a verification team from the PTO will begin on-site inspections in January 2026 to assess the cleanliness of the facilities, their operating hours, accessibility, parking availability, and whether their use is free or requires payment.
Aside from gasoline stations, the office is also considering the inclusion of Department of Tourism (DOT)-accredited tourism rest areas, existing facilities such as Hapitanan sa Sugbo, bus or designated toilet stops, and other possible roadside locations along major highways.
Montecillo said the verification process is necessary as not all gas stations and roadside establishments have usable comfort rooms.
She added that while the initial information gathered by tourism officers is first-hand, validation is needed before the list can be shared publicly.
Once finalized, the list of verified comfort rooms will be made available to tourists and tour operators through digital links and informational materials that will indicate locations, days and hours of operation, and accessibility details.
The PTO is also exploring partnerships with private establishments that are willing to participate in the initiative.
Montecillo said participating companies may be given incentives or official recognition from the provincial government as part of the program.
She said the initiative aims to improve the overall tourism experience in Cebu by addressing the long-standing lack of accessible and clean comfort rooms, particularly along highways frequently used by travelers. (CDF)