Senator Nancy Binay is pushing for the retooling of local government units and empowering them to create their own tourism opportunities through collaborative planning with the Department of Tourism and Regional Development Councils, in line with the Duterte administration’s Philippine Development Plan for 2040.
In her speech during the Tourism Summit of the DoT at the Diamond Hotel Manila, Binay emphasized the role of LGUs in improving and developing the country’s local tourism industry.
“The national government must help each LGU to come up with its own tourism development plan, which should be in line with the national tourism development plan,” Binay said.
The National Economic Development Authority is currently updating the national development plan in line with the administration’s 25-year vision, the “Ambisyon Natin 2040,” which is government says is the “collective long-term vision and aspirations of the Filipino people for themselves and for the country for the next 25 years.”
“Ambisyon Nation 2040” aims to serve as an anchor for development planning across at least four administrations.
As the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Tourism, Binay also called for LGUs to collaborate and align their own tourism development plans with neighboring municipalities, and work together to promote their regional tourism destinations.
“Towns and provinces should not look only for their own interests in the tourism pie but should look at how they can interconnect and relate to each other in terms of tourism development and promotion,” she said.
The senator also called for the LGUs’ continued protection of existing and prospective tourism sites.
“The tourism plan should also be incorporated in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan so tourism sites can be properly identified and protected,” Binay said.
The senator said the national government should also empower tourism officers and frontliners. “Tourism officers are vital point persons in the planning and execution of tourism plans, and it should be made a regular part of all LGU staff,” she added.
To further drive growth in the grassroots, Binay suggested the standardization of training and development of human resources.
“Standardized regular trainings and seminars should be given by the DoT and its partners not only to our local tourism staff and guides, but also to drivers, policemen, hospitality staff and other frontliners,” she said.