The Tourism department is facing a huge cut in its budget for 2017, raising concerns among lawmakers the agency may not be able to meet its goal of bringing in more foreign tourists to the country.
Under House Bill 3408, or the 2017 General Appropriations Bill (GAB), the DOT has a proposed P2.457 billion in 2017 and P3.61- billion budget this year.
This year’s budget is 44 percent higher than the DOT’s P2.5- billion budget in 2015 while its proposed budget for next year is 39.7 percent lower.
Rizal Rep. Michael Jack Duavit, during his sponsorship defense for the DOT budget during the plenary deliberations on the 2017 GAB, said the budget for the office of the Tourism Secretary amounting to P800 million got the biggest slash in the 2017 proposed budget of the agency.
House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez said of all agencies of government, DOT does not get an increase im budget every year.
“The increasing budget seems to be the trend, but not for the DOT next year,” said Suarez.
To address the issue, Suarez proposed that Congress and the DOT work for a more responsive budget of the latter in the coming years.
“There should be enhanced, better relations between Congress and the DOT for the latter to have better allocations in the future, given the projected hike of tourists coming to visit the Philippines every year,” said Suarez.
Meanwhile, Davao del Sur Rep. Mercedes Cagas reiterated her suggestion that the DOT also focus its resources in promoting agri-tourism.
“Agri-tourism will be a catalyst in improving the quality of life in the rural areas. Studies have shown that agriculture can be developed into agri-tourism attractions which will enhance the sustenance of these areas,” said Cagas.
Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza himself renewed his call to the DOT to provide copies of contracts of the operations of Duty-Free Philippines.
“We request that we may be given a copy of the contract of the DFP so that we may be able to study the matter and disprove our lingering suspicion that, indeed, there is something wrong with the Duty-Free operations,” he said.
Atienza wondered why the DFP has been giving the same estimates of revenue every year.
“It seems like they know they would not be earning nor losing revenues given their accounting figures,” Atienza said.
Atienza said in most countries, Duty Free shops generate a lot of funds for their tourism departments.
“Duty Free Philippines is not generating enough revenue that would help very well the tourism efforts of the department,” said Atienza.
Tourism officials promised to furnish him copies of the details of DFP operations by Oct. 5.