House panels OK National Tourism Policy bill

MANILA, Philippines - A House bill seeking to establish a national policy on tourism and reorganize the agencies of the Department of Tourism (DOT) has been approved by two House committees, a statement on Monday said. The House committees on tourism and ways and means have jointly approved House Bill 5229 or the proposed Tourism Act of 2008, which proposes to make tourism "a primary engine of investment, employment, growth and national development." The bill aims to strengthen the DOT by reorganizing its various attached agencies attached to improve efficiency and effective coordination of government functions. It provides that the DOT consist of the Office of the Secretary, Office of Tourism Planning, Research and Information Management, Office of Product Development, Office of Tourism Standards, Regulations and Industry Manpower Development, Office of Market Planning, Office of Market Development, Office of Tourism Revenue Collection, Regional Offices, and the Office of Special Concerns, which shall be the primary planning, programming, coordinating, implementing and regulatory agency in the promotion of the tourism industry. Under the bill, the Philippine Tourism Agency (PTA) shall be renamed as the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone (TIEZA), a corporate body that shall designate, regulate and supervise tourism enterprise zones (TEZs) as well as develop and manage tourism projects in the country. The Duty Free Philippines (DFP) shall be reorganized to become the Duty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC), which will be tasked to handle operations of the duty- and tax-free merchandising system in the country. The Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC), meanwhile, shall be changed to become Tourism Philippines (TP), a corporate body that will be responsible for the marketing and promotion of the Philippines as a global tourism destination, highlighting its tourism products and services. The Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) shall be attached to the DOT, while the Intramuros Administration (IA), National Parks and Development Committee (NPDC) and the Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF) shall remain attached to the department. The bill also provides that 40 percent of the proceeds from the sale of PTA assets shall be used as the agency's capital. More funding shall be sourced from a reasonable share of the collection of tourism development and promotions fee to be determined by the DOT, subsidies from the national government and net income from TP investments. The bill provides that the agency's P500 million capitalization shall be fully subscribed by the national government while TIEZA's budget shall come from its share of the collection of tourism development and promotions fees to be determined by the DOT, 50 percent of the proceeds from travel tax collections and income from projects managed by TIEZA, and subsidies and grants from local and foreign sources that may be received by TIEZA. The DFPC's P500 million capital, meanwhile, shall be fully subscribed by the national government while its funding shall come from internally generated income and other receipts based on the bill. House Bill 5229, jointly approved by the Tourism Committee chaired by Rep. Edgar Chatto (1st District, Bohol) and the Ways and Means Committee chaired by Rep. Exequiel Javier (Lone District, Antique) is a substitute measure for HBs 4, 173, 952, 1222, 1878, 2518, 2815, 2857, 3363 and 3803. It is authored by Speaker Prospero Nograles, and Representatives Chatto, Thelma Almario, Juan Edgardo Angara, Ma. Carissa Coscolluela, Rene Velarde, Marcelino Teodoro, Raul del Mar, Mauricio Domogan, Czarina Umali, Emmanuel Joel Villanueva, Rufus Rodriguez, Narciso Santiago III, Mary Ann Susano, Lorna Silverio, Orlando Fua, Antonio Lagdameo, Bienvenido Abante, Eufrocino Codilla Sr., Eduardo Zialcita, Reylina Nicolas, Cynthia Villar, Irwin Tieng, Rex Gatchalian, Florencio Miraflores, Del de Guzman, Eileen Ermita-Buhain and Joaquin Carlos Rahman Nava. - Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV