Solon wants review of govt policy on tourism

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – Rep. Bernardo M. Vergara here urged President Aquino and the members of his Cabinet to review new guidelines on funding priorities given for tourism projects in the countryside.

While the government will give priority to funding tourism projects nationwide, Vergara, a senior member of the House committee on tourism, said it had become a last priority for the Aquino administration to provide funding for tourism-related activities.

Stringent guidelines for release of their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), he said, allows the utilization of their annual initiatives for hard infrastructure, education and tourism.

Vergara said he could not understand why least priority is given to tourism-related activities when tourism is one of the priorities of the Aquino administration.

Because of tourism, Vergara said economic activities translate to increased employment opportunities and sources of livelihood.

Vergara said Northern Luzon has not also been given priority consideration by the Aquino administration since most huge projects are concentrated in Southern Philippines, thus, the need for the tourism department to study their priorities.

Northern Luzon, Vergara said, is one of the country’s potential ecotourism sites that must be fully supported to perk up economic development in the countryside but it seems it is receiving a smaller slice of the pie from the administration.

Vergara, former general manager of the Philippine Tourism Authority during the Marcos administration said support must be given to tourism infrastructure and tourism-related activities to sustain influx of people to the country.

Like other European and Southeast Asian countries that are known tourism destinations, the Baguio solon said the Philippines can be at par with internationally renowned tourist spots in the global village if the national and local governments will fully support the tourism development in various parts of the country.

He added the House committee on tourism will initiate future consultations with Aquino’s tourism officials so that funding will be equitably distributed in potential tourism destinations in the country to support the sustained development of tourist spots as well as the infusion of support to crowd-drawing activities that will attract the influx of tourists throughout the year.

Vergara also wants the tourism department to come out with a sustainable tourism master development plan which will serve as the bible of tourism development in prime tourist destinations nationwide.