Road infrastructure in known tourist destinations in the country will receive higher funding from the national government this year, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said. In a statement, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said the government plans to construct, reconstruct, upgrade, and improve roads and bridges that are connected to declared tourist destinations. For this reason, Pangandaman said the national government budgeted P17.7 billion for the Tourism Road Infrastructure Program (TRIP) in 2023, that is P602 million higher compared with the previous year’s allotment. "President Ferdinand R. 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,” Pangandaman said. “And so we ensured that various infrastructure projects nationwide are allocated with necessary funds to support the Build, Better, More program,” she added. The government needs to give importance to vital infrastructure projects as they serve as the backbone of the economy, the DBM chief said. “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?" she said. TRIP is a convergence initiative of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Tourism (DOT). 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 national budget, the P17.7 billion budget will be distributed to tourism infrastructure projects in Region I (Ilocos), Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and CALABARZON. The funding is also allotted to MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao, SOCCSKSARGEN, and Caraga.