Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan signed on Monday, Sept. 4, a new ordinance appointing a tourism committee in each city barangay.
Under City Ordinance No. 8976, the city government will form tourism committees that will be deployed in each of Manila's 896 barangays to further enhance tourism resources and assets in the entire city.
Charlie Dungo, head of the Department of Tourism Culture and the Arts of Manila (DTCAM), said the newly signed ordinance seeks to address the tourism issues in all the barangays. He said the capital city is too big to be managed by just one committee.
He said leaders of every barangay can now focus on developing tourism spots in their respective areas.
Mayor Honey called on the barangay officers to support the tourism development efforts of the local government.
During the ceremonial signing held in the Manila City Hall on Monday, she also commended Councilor and Liga ng Barangay President Lei Lacuna for having authored the said ordinance.
She noted that the most important part of the ordinance is making the City of Manila a "premier tourism and cultural hub of the country."
With the ordinance, the mayor expressed hope that it would serve as an instrument to recognize the capability of each barangay to exert influence over their constituency in promoting local tourism.
“Kadalasan, ang turismo [sa Maynila] ay nakatuon lamang sa Luneta at Intramuros pero dahil sa isinagawang tourism development plan kasama ang city council, lahat ng lugar sa Maynila ay mabibigyan na ng tamang pagpapahalaga. Salamat sa DTCAM dahil sa pagpapasigla ng turismo at kultura sa lungsod (Usually, tourism [in Manila] is only focused in Luneta and Intramuros but due to the tourism development plan carried out by the city council, all places in Manila will be given proper value. Thanks to DTCAM for boosting tourism and culture in the city)," the local chief executive said.
Lacuna-Pangan also thanked the Manila City Council and its presiding officer Vice Mayor Yul Servo who passed the measure.
In celebration of Tourism Month, the local government is preparing several tourism events such as the signing of the landmark legislation ordinance, Mr. Manila pageant and Kultura Manila fashion show.