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DBM: P17.7B earmarked for tourism infra development


The Department of Budget Management (DBM) on Thursday said the Marcos administration has allocated P17.689 billion for the Tourism Road Infrastructure Program (TRIP) under the 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

The budget for TRIP this year is P602 million higher than the P17.087 billion earmarked for the program in 2022, the DBM said in a statement.

The Budget Department said the amount will cover the construction, reconstruction, upgrading, and improvement of roads and bridges connecting to declared tourist destinations.

"President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been very consistent with his pronouncements that infrastructure development is a priority under this administration. And so we, at DBM, shall do all we can to support the realization of this objective. And so we ensured that various infrastructure projects nationwide are allocated with necessary funds to support the Build, Better, More program,” said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman. 

“Mobility and connectivity are vital components in tourism development. The Philippines has so many majestic places. But how will we attract tourists if there is no transport infrastructure in place to get them to these destinations with ease?” said Pangandaman.

TRIP is a convergence initiative of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Tourism (DOT). 

The DBM said the budgetary allocation is also in line with the DOT's National Tourism Development Plan, which envisions a globally competitive, environmentally sustainable, and socially responsible tourism industry that promotes inclusive growth through employment generation and equitable distribution of income.

Under the 2023 GAA, the agency said P17.689-billion budget will be distributed to tourism infrastructure projects in Region I (Ilocos), Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao, SOCCSKSARGEN, and Caraga. —VAL, GMA Integrated News

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