MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Tourism (DOT) expressed its full support for President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s directive to generate quality jobs as a vital means to eliminate poverty and hunger in the country.
In her official statement on Marco’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco thanked the President for recognizing tourism as a key sector in uplifting lives through tourism employment and livelihood.
According to Frasco, the Department will continue to collaborate with partner agencies to ensure the protection and security of tourism workers, as well as have access to opportunities for livelihood.
“We continue to work alongside our partner agencies, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development to ensure social protection for tourism frontliners during calamities, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Small Business Corporation (SBCorp) for the Turismo Asenso loans for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in tourism, and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to introduce the Balik Bayani sa Turismo program to reintegrate returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) into the tourism workforce,” Frasco said in a statement.
She also assured the public that “tourism stands ready” to help meet the challenge of finding opportunities for the remaining four percent of the labor force, and remains committed to “building a tourism industry that is not only globally competitive, but also grounded on the shared mission to uplift the lives of every Filipino through dignified and sustainable livelihood.”
(Photo courtesy of Department of Tourism)
Meanwhile, Frasco acknowledged the current administration’s dedication in addressing critical issues such as infrastructure development, climate change, and peace and security, which she believes “significantly bolster the collective aspirations of the country’s tourism industry.”
Through such efforts, Frasco said that the tourist experience is enhanced through infrastructure projects “designed for the convenience of both Filipinos and visitors.”
The DOT also ensures a world-class Tourism workforce through high-impact programs such as the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) and Tourism Industry Skills Program (TISP), which have trained over 358,000 tourism workers, collectively, the Tourism Chief said.
“With internal tourism expenditures reaching ₱3.86 trillion in 2024, 13.12% higher from the ₱3.41 trillion in 2023 and surpassing 2019 levels, we take to heart the President's call for the global community to invest in the Filipino as this is crucial to the success of tourism,” Frasco added.
