Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines—Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon on Tuesday called for a higher budget for the Department of Tourism (DOT) as he noted a massive funding decline for the agency tasked to promote the country around the world.
In a budget hearing, Drilon had to squeeze a response from DOT officials on whether or not they think their proposed P2.40-billion budget for 2017 was enough, noting its 32 percent decline from the current P3.62-billion allocation.
The DOT had originally proposed a 2017 budget of P3.9 billion, but it was slashed by the Department of Budget and Management, cutting down on bottom-up budgeting (BUB) allocations, funds for capital outlay and the marketing budget.
“Dagdagan niyo (increase it),” said Drilon, during the Senate finance committee hearing led by Sen. Loren Legarda.
“I will have no qualms… [if it will help] to highlight the importance of tourism,” Drilon said.
To the senator’s remarks Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo responded: “Senator, if we can get a bigger budget, we would appreciate it.”
Drilon noted the importance of enhancing tourism promotion given “recent issues confronting our country, including the vigilante killings, the Davao bombing, etc” which has triggered travel advisories from several foreign countries.
“This is a crucial time for the government to step up its tourism efforts in order to counter any negative perception that the international community may have towards our country,” the senator said.
“The effects of this negative perception on our tourism remain to be seen, but it will definitely hit us,” he said.
The decreased DOT budget would mean a sharp decline in the department’s marketing budget from P1.2 billion this year to P300 million this year. Such funding supports the DOT’s “It’s more fun in the Philippines” campaign, which is credited for increasing tourist arrivals in the country during the Aquino administration.
“How do you plan to achieve this (marketing targets) if you have no budget?” Drilon asked officials.
He also noted earlier reports that the Duterte administration might be planning to change the tourism slogan, saying: “If it ain’t broke, why fix it?”
Tourism Undersecretary Benito Bengzon clarified that the DOT is not planning to change the popular and viral slogan, saying: “We’re not necessarily changing “It’s more fun in the Philippines.” The idea is to come up with activities that will build on the gains that we’ve achieved.”
Former broadcaster and now Tourism Undersecretary Katherine Chloe de Castro said the department is about to launch a P650-million tourism campaign, which would see television advertisement placements in countries like Germany and India.
Tourism accounted for 8.3 percent of the gross domestic product last year, with the arrival of five million visitors. RAM
RELATED STORIES
Tourism branding must be used wisely, not wastefully
Is it still more fun in the Philippines?