Restore DOT’s P3.9-B proposed budget for 2021, Baguio congressman urges

Baguio Rep. Mark Go. Photo from the website of the House of Representatives

MANILA, Philippines — The P3.9-billion proposed budget of the Department of Tourism (DOT) should be restored, a lawmaker said Thursday.

During the plenary deliberations on the proposed budget of the DOT, Baguio City Rep. Mark Go said the tourism department’s approved budget in the National Expenditures Program (NEP) for 2021 is only at P3.8 billion.

This budget, Go said, is “low” given the contribution of the tourism sector to the country’s economy.

“Noong nakaraang budget hearing nga ako’y nagrekomenda na dagdagan ang kanilang budget batay doon sa kanilang original recommendation na additional P90 million,” Go said.

(In the last budget hearing, I recommended that their budget be increased based on their original recommendation of an additional P90 million.)

“And I would like to reiterate this recommendation I made in the committee that we increase the budget [of DOT] by P90 million,” he added.

Go said that on top of employing more than five million Filipinos, the tourism sector also contributed 12.7 percent in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

“Sa aking palagay, medyo maliit itong kanilang budget pero sabi nga ni Sec. Berna Puyat, pagkakasyahin nila ito at sila ay magiging masigasig lalo kahit na ganito ang kanilang budget,” the lawmaker said.

(I think this budget is too small even if Sec. Berna Puyat said that they will make use of what they have and they will be active even if this is their only budget.)

JPV

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