Sotto firm on keeping P10-B tourism assistance in Bayanihan 2 bill

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday reminded Senator Sonny Angara to keep intact the upper chamber's version of the P10 billion assistance to the tourism sector under the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2.

During the plenary session, Angara said the bicameral conference is expected to be finished tonight or on Thursday morning with just 10 to 12 provisions left to be discussed.

"We just want to be sure that the Senate version, especially on the Department of Tourism (DOT) funding is intact," Sotto told Angara who chairs the Senate committee on finance.

"You can inform the members of the House that when it comes to that, we want to make sure that it will be for the good of the country. Sometimes my nickname is Stonewall Jackson," he added.

"That's well-taken Mr. President. It's one of the items that is left to the last because we know that there is real genuine difference of opinion—let's put it mildly, Mr. President. Rest assured we will do as you instructed us to do," Angara responded.

Representatives Ron Salo of Kabayan party-list and Johnny Pimentel of Surigao del Sur were pushing for the said allocation on infrastructure projects for tourism, contrary to the DOT's call to put the P10 billion to a loan facility.

Last week, former secretaries of the DOT voiced concerns over the House of Representatives' version of the Bayanihan 2 wherein the P10 billion assistance was earmarked for tourism infrastructure.

They pointed out that there is no glaring need for infrastructure in a time of the COVID-19 pandemic and that assistance to the sector should come in the form of loans.

Under the Senate's version of the bill,  financial institutions such as the Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines shall administer the loans for the DOT-accredited tourism enterprises.

'Lifeline, not new boat'

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP) urged the bicam to approve the Senate's version of the bill for the benefit of micro, small, and medium players in the tourism industry.

"While we acknowledge the long-term wisdom of the House version of allocating the amount to infrastructure projects under the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) to help the industry’s recovery, we believe that the priority in this critical period is an emergency rescue package for tourism businesses like ours," it said in a statement.

"We are drowning in a stormy sea and we need a lifeline NOW. We cannot wait for a new boat to be built to rescue us," it added.

The TCP said the tourism industry gave employment to 5.7 million workers in the Philippines and contributed to almost 13 percent of its gross domestic product.

After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, an estimated 4.8 million formal and informal tourism industry workers have been affected, it stressed.

"The funds will help us rehabilitate our facilities and upgrade our businesses to conform with the current health and safety standards set by the authorities and more importantly, help our employees financially. We committed to paying these emergency loans as tourism restarts domestically and globally," the TCP said.

The P10 billion for the tourism industry is just one of the many components of the P162-billion Bayanihan 2 bill being discussed by the bicam.

The measure is expected to be ratified on Thursday afternoon. —LDF, GMA News