House panel approves bill seeking to boost tourism resilience

With the impending six-month closure of Boracay Island starting April 26, the House of Representatives approved at the committee level House Bill 6093, which seeks to create the Tourism Resiliency Certification Program (TRCP).

The bill’s author, Representative Lucy Torres-Gomez, chair of the House tourism committee, said in a statement that the TRCP is expected to identify risks to the local tourism industry and prescribe compliance measures for Registered Tourism Enterprises (RTEs) and Tourism Enterprise Zones (TEZs).

When Gomez filed the bill in August last year, Boracay’s environmental problems have yet to hit the headlines.

She noted, however, that there were various incidents in the past that makes it necessary to take urgent steps in protecting the tourism industry. These incidents include the attack on Resorts World Manila last year, the string of violence in Europe, and the Marawi crisis.

“The bill intends to institute a fail-safe regulatory and administration system that will protect the tourism industry against critical, present-day threats, such as violence, terrorism, and also environmental degradation and climate change,” Gomez said.

A planned Philippine Tourism Risk Assessment Framework would identify the actual and potential risks to the industry.

Gomez said the creation of the TRCP would be undertaken by a technical working group composed of representatives from various stakeholders. The Department of Tourism (DOT) will serve as the lead organizer.

Meanwhile, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) would be the corporate body to oversee, regulate, implement and supervise compliance.

The bill has been endorsed by officials of the DOT, Tieza, and the Office of Civil Defense, according to Gomez. /ee