House members on Friday, Sept. 3 sought an increased funding for the Department of Tourism (DOT) hit by the COVID-19 pandemic but is gearing for a favorable post COVID-19 scenario.

The proposed 2022 DOT budget is P3.7 billion and the budget for the Intramuros Administration was reduced from the current 2021 P111 million to P64 million for 2022.

DOT’s budget was scrutinized by the House appropriations committee chaired by Representative Eric Go Yap. The public hearing was presided by Rep. Michael John Duavit.

In seeking for increased DOT budget, Baguio Rep. Mark Go noted that there is no capital outlay and that DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat is very prudent in handling DOT operations.

Another reason for requesting increased budget is that the Commission on

Audit placed the DOT number one in its number list of good performers among many government departments, Go added.

Go explained that a robust tourism industry gives employment and increases taxes.

The Baguio lawmaker left it to Puyat on how much increase in the DOT budget should she ask.

Congressman Abdullah Dimaporo shared the view of Go that revenues generated by the tourism industry go into the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Dimaporo urged the DOT to coordinate with local government units (LGUs) in developing tourism sites.

The DOT was allotted P2 billion by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for its marketing and product development program.

Duavit later urged other House members to formally request budget increases for DOT during the period of amendments.

The DOT, according to Puyat, is focused on programs such as re-skilling and upskilling of human capital, improve services standards and delivery, and ensure safety of tourism workers and tourists.

As of August 30, Puyat said, there were 70,389 tourism workers vaccinated as against an initial target of 219,253. Up for vaccination is 120,203.

Ilocos Sur Congressmen Bonito Singson asked DOT for help in the promotion of their pottery, jewelry and culinary arts.

Congresswoman Sol Aragones appreciated Puyat’s trips to various provinces. including Laguna, in promoting tourism but conceded that LGUs are a sorry lot because of the pandemic.

She expressed hopes that an accelerated COVID-19 vaccination program will inject vibrancy in the tourism sector.

Puyat said the pandemic has taken its toll on the tourism industry with only 1.48 million tourist arrivals in 2020 compared to the pre-COVID period which was 8.2 million in 2019.

Thus, tourism-related revenues dipped significantly. she added.

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