EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
Third Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. B. No. £3 3 8
•21 JUL 27 P5 57
Introduced by Senator Francis "Tol" N. Tolentino
AN ACT
DECLARING THE PROVINCE OF SOUTHERN LEYTE A TOURISM ZONE, 
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Province of Southern Leyte is home to beautiful tourist destinations, such as 
Taglinao Falls, Bird Sanctuary and Mangrove Site, Crater Lake, Fatima Hills, and Guinsaugon 
Lake. The historical Limasawa, where the first Christian Mass was held and is considered the 
birthplace of Christianity in the Philippines, is located in Southern Leyte.
Southern Leyte is famous for its world-class dive sites, caves, extreme adventure sites, 
waterfalls, safari, river trekking, crater lake trekking, fish feeding, and resort islands.1
To further boost the tourism in Southern Leyte, the Department of Public Works and 
Highways (DPWH) has been upgrading the road networks leading to five tourism sites in Leyte 
which are targeted to be completed within the year.2
This measure proposes to establish the Province of Southern Leyte as a Tourism Zone 
and to prioritize further development of the province for tourism. This will increase the number 
of tourists visiting the province, provide livelihood to its inhabitants, and usher sustainable 
and responsible tourism in the region.
TOL" N. TOLENTINO
1 https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138699
2 Ibid.


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session
)
SENATE 
S. B. No. ^3o8
*21 JUL27 P5:57
Introduced by Senator Francis "Tol" N. Tolentino
RITE-
AN ACT
DECLARING THE PROVINCE OF SOUTHERN LEYTE A TOURISM ZONE,
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
1 
Section 1. The Province of Southern Leyte is hereby declared a tourism zone. As such,
2 
its development shall be prioritized by the Department of Tourism and the Department of
3 
Public Works and Highways, subject to the rules and regulations governing the development
4 
of tourism zones.
5 
Section 2. Within one (1) year after the approval of this Act, the Department of Tourism,
6 
in coordination with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority and other
7 
concerned agencies of the government, shall prepare a tourism development plan providing
8 
for the development, maintenance, improvement, and restoration of tourism sites, where
9 
appropriate, in conformity with set standards, including the construction of hotels, resorts,
10 
restaurants, recreational facilities, and other appropriate facilities and infrastructure: Provided,
11 
That said development plan shall ensure the preservation of the ecological balance and natural
12 
beauty of the area.
13 
Section 3. The Department of Tourism shall take immediate steps to implement the
14 
development plan and incorporate the same in its tourism development program for the
15 
ensuing calendar year.
16 
Section 4. Upon the promulgation of this Act, the Department of Public Works and
17 
Highways, in coordination with the Department of Tourism, shall implement the construction
18 
and improvement of roads and other infrastructure necessary in the development of the


1 
Province of Southern Leyte and incorporate the same in the Department's infrastructure
2 
program.
3 
Section 5. The Secretaries of the Department of Tourism and the Department of Public
4 
Works and Highways shall include in their respective Department's program the
5 
implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General
6 
Appropriations Act, and shall augment such allocation with internally generated funds of the
7 
Department of Tourism.
8 
Section 6. Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Department of
9 
Tourism shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the proper implementation
10 
of this Act.
11 
Section 7. All laws, rules, regulations, executive orders, proclamations, presidential
12 
decrees, and other issuances inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act are hereby
13 
deemed repealed or amended accordingly.
14 
Section 8. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its complete publication
15 
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
16
17 
Approved,