Tolentino seeks to expedite accreditation of local hotels

MANILA, Philippines — Saying that it will help jumpstart the local tourism industry, Senator Francis Tolentino said concerned government agencies should expedite the accreditation of local hotels.

“How will we jumpstart the local tourism if we are making it hard for them to reopen?” Tolentino said during the Senate Committee on Local Government hearing on Friday.

Tolentino added that before local hotels can reopen, they need to secure a tourism reopening accreditation  from the Department of Tourism (DOT)

The president of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines, Jose Clemente, told Tolentino that the DOT will discuss the proposal.

“That is something that we would have to discuss with DOT as we transition out to lower quarantine condition,” Clemente said.

“That is something that we would discuss and we’ll see how we can also utilize our tourism officers in the locality to help with this,” he added.

Previously, DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said that hotels, resorts, and other accommodation establishments under modified general community quarantine areas must secure a certificate from the tourism department before the resumption of operations.

Those who will operate without a DOT certificate will face penalties and administrative sanctions, Puyat added.

/MUF