Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4l 0

Introduced by Representative JESUS R. MARQUEZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to create mandatory position for tourism officers across local
government units from the provincial up to the municipal levels where tourism is a
significant industry. By institutionalizing this position within the LGU structure, the
measure seeks to strengthen the role of local governments in planning, managing, and
promoting sustainable tourism development.

Central to the tourism policy of the State is the acknowledgment that tourism is a
significant driver of economic growth. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism sector
contributed 12.7% of the national GDP in 2019, according to the Philippine Statistics
Authority (PSA). Although the sector suffered a sharp decline during the pandemic, it has
since made a robust recovery. In 2022, tourism’s share rose to 6.2%, and by 2023 it
surged to 8.6%, contributing P2.09 trillion to the economy, its highest ever recorded gross
value added. In 2024, the contribution climbed furtherto 8.9% of GDP, or P2.35 trillion,
with projections indicating that it could reach P5.9 trillion or about 21% of GDP by 2025.
The tourism sector also supported 6.75 million jobs in 2024, comprising 13.8% of the
country’s total employment. toe

These figures underscore the immense economic potential of tourism, particularly
in local areas where natural, cultural, and heritage assets remain untapped or
underdeveloped. However, unlocking this potential requires not just infrastructure or
investment, but also institutional capacity and professional management at the local
level.

Currently, the institutional framework for tourism governance is guided by two
major laws:
1. The Tourism Act of 2009 (Republic Act No. 9593) - which provides the
national framework for tourism development, and
2. The Local Government Code of 1991 (Republic Act No. 7160) — which devolves
tourism promotion and development to local government units.


While the Tourism Act of 2009 encourages LGUs to appoint tourism officers in
areas with significant tourism potential (as stated in Section 125), the provision is vaguely
worded and lacks enforceability. The absence of a corresponding mandate in the Local
Government Code has led to uneven implementation and missed opportunities for
tourism-driven local development.

Immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
—_

) LL0A%
HON. JESUS “Jess” R. MARQUEZ


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4l 9

Introduced by Representative JESUS R. MARQUEZ

AN ACT
MAKING THE POSITION OF A TOURISM OFFICER MANDATORY IN THE
MUNICIPAL, CITY, AND PROVINCIAL LEVELS, AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 443, Book III, Title Two, Chapter 2 of Republic Act No. 7160
is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 443. Officials of the Municipal Government. — (a) There shall be in
each municipality a municipal mayor, municipal vice-mayor, sangguniang
bayan members, a secretary to the sangguniang bayan, a municipal treasurer,
a municipal assessor, a municipal accountant, a municipal budget officer, a
municipal budget officer, a municipal planning and development coordinator,
@ municipal engineer/building official, a municipal health officer, and a
municipal civil registrar. A municipal Cooperatives Development Officer
(CDO) shall be appointed: Provided, That the municipality has the option to
appoint a full fledged CDO or merge such position to an existing position or
official in a related office, unit or department in the municipal government:
Provided, further, That if the municipality shall appoint a full fledged CDO, the
municipality has the option to set the rank, renumeration and other
emoluments of the municipal CDO subject to existing laws, rules, and
regulations.

A MUNICIPAL TOURISM OFFICER (MTO) SHALL ALSO BE
APPOINTED: PROVIDED, THAT IN MUNICIPALITIES WHERE
‘TOURISM IS A SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRY, THE APPOINTMENT OF
A MTO SHALL BE MANDATORY, PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT
THE MUNICIPALITY HAS THE OPTION TO SET THE RANK,
REMUNERATION AND OTHER EMOLUMENTS OF THE MTO
SUBJECT TO EXISTING LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS.


1 "(D) xxx

2 "(c) xxx

3 "(d) xxx

4 "(e) xxx

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6 SEC 2. Section 454, Book III, Title Three, Chapter 2 of Republic Act No. 7160 is

7 hereby amended to read as follows:

8 "SEC. 454. Officials of the City Government. (a) There shall be in each

9 city a mayor, a vice-mayor, sangguniang panlungsod members, a secretary
10 to the sangguniang panglungsod, a city treasurer, a city assessor, a city
1 accountant, a city budget officer, a city planning and development
12 coordinator, a city engineer, a city health officer, a city civil registrar, a city
23 administrator, a city legal officer, a city veterinarian, a city social welfare
4 and development officer, and a city general services officer. A city CDO shall
15 be appointed: Provided, That the city has the option to appoint a full fledged
16 CDO or merge such position to an existing position or official in a related
Vv office, unit or department in the city government: Provided, further, That if
18 the city shall appoint a full fledged CDO, the city has the option to set the rank,
19 renumeration and other emoluments of the city CDO subject to existing laws,
20 rules, and regulations.
21 A CITY TOURISM OFFICER (CTO) SHALL ALSO BE
2 APPOINTED: PROVIDED, THAT THE APPOINTMENT OF A CTO
23 SHALL BE MANDATORY, PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT THE CITY
24 HAS THE OPTION TO SET THE RANK, RENUMERATION AND
25 OTHER EMOLUMENTS OF THE CTO SUBJECT TO EXISTING
26 LAWS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS. "
27 "(b) In addition thereto, the city mayor may appoint a city architect, a
28 city information officer, a city agriculturist, a city population officer, and a
29 city environment and natural resources officer.
30 "300C
31 "(c) xx
32 "“(d) xx
33 "(e) x00
34 SEC. 3. Section 463, Book III, Title Four, Chapter 2 of Republic Act No. 7160, is

35 hereby amended to read as follows:
36 "Sec 463. Officials of the Provincial Government. — (a) There shall be in
37 each province a governor, a vice-governor, members of the sangguniang


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panlalawigan. a provincial treasurer, a provincial assessor; a provincial
accountant, a provincial engineer, a provincial budget officer, a provincial
administrator, a provincial health officer, a provincial social welfare and
development officer, a provincial general services officer, a provincial
agriculturist, and a provincial veterinarian. A provincial CDO shall also be
appointed: Provided, That the province, in the appointment of a full fledged CDO
shall set the rank, renumeration and other emoluments of the provincial CDO
subject to existing laws, rules, and regulations.

A PROVINCIAL TOURISM OFFICER (PTO) SHALL ALSO BE
APPOINTED: PROVIDED, THAT IN PROVINCES WHERE TOURISM
IS A SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRY, THE APPOINTMENT OF A PTO
SHALL BE MANDATORY, PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT THE
PROVINCE HAS THE OPTION TO SET THE RANK, RENUMERATION,
AND OTHER EMOLUMENTS OF THE PRO SUBJECT TO EXISTING
LAWS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS. "

"(b) In addition thereto, the governor may appoint a provincial
population officer, a provincial natural resources and environment officer, a
provincial architect, and a provincial information officer.

"3000
"(c) x0
"(d) xx
"(e) xxx."

SEC 4. Section 467, of Book III, Title Five, Article Seventeen of Republic Act

No. 7160, is hereby amended and shall now read as follows:

ARTICLE XXI
THE TOURISM OFFICER

Sec 490-A. QUALITIFICATIONS, POWERS, AND DUTIES. — (A)
NO PERSON SHALL BE APPOINTED TOURISM OFFICER UNLESS.
HE IS A CITIZEN OF THE PHILIPPINES, A RESIDENT OF THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT CONCERNED, OF GOOD MORAL
CHARACTER AND IRREPROACHABLE REPUTATION, OF KNOWN
INTEGRITY AND COMPETENCE, AND HAS NEVER BEEN
CONVICTED OF ANY ELECTION OFFENSE OR OF ANY CRIME
PUNISHABLE BY MORE THAN SIX (6) MONTHS OF
IMPRISONMENT, OR HAS NO PENDING INFORMATION FOR ANY
OFFENSE, A HOLDER OF A COLLEGE DEGREE IN TOURISM,


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BUSINESS, ECONOMICS, MARKETING, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
OR OTHER RELATED FIELDS FROM A RECOGNIZED COLLEGE OR.
UNIVERSITY, AND A FIRST GRADE CIVIL SERVICE ELIGIBLE OR
ITS EQUIVALENT. HE/SHE MUST HAVE AT LEAST GIVE (5) YEARS
OF SUBSTANTIAL WORK EXPERIENCE AND INVOLVEMENT IN
THE TOURISM INDUSTRY EITHER IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR OR
GOVERNMENT.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS WITH EXISTING TOURISM
OFFICERS PRIOR TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS LAW WILL
BE GIVEN THREE (3) YEARS TO COMPLY WITH THE
AFOREMENTIONED REQUIREMENTS.

(B) THE TOURISM OFFICER SHALL TAKE CHARGE OF THE
OFFICE FOR TOURISM AND SHALL PRACTICE THE FOLLOWING:

G) PREPARE, IMPLEMENT, COORDINATE, MONITOR AND
UPDATE LOCAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PLANS;

(2) ENSURE THE PROPER ENFORCEMENT OF TOURISM
STANDARDS, LAWS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS;

(3) PROVIDE REGULAR REPORTS ON STATUS OF TOURISM
PLANS AND PROGRAMS, TOURIST ARRIVALS,
EMPLOYMENT, OCCUPANCY RATES, INVESTMENT AND
TOURIST PRODUCTS, AMONG OTHERS, TO THE LOCAL
CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
TOURISM (DOT);

(4) COORDINATE WITH THE DOT AND ITS ATTACHED
AGENCIES, AS WELL AS CORPORATIONS AND PRIVATE
ENTITIES, IN REGARD TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND
PROMOTION OF TOURISM IN THE LOCALITY; AND

(5) ESTABLISH PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL AGENCIES AND
PRIVATE ENTITIES IN PROMOTING THE TOURISM OF
THEIR CONCERNED CITIES AND PROVINCES NATIONWIDE
AND GLOBALLY.


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(C) EXERCISE SUCH OTHER POWERS AND PERFORM SUCH
OTHER DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS AS MAY BE PRESCRIBED BY
LAW OR ORDINANCE.

SEC 5. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in force and
effect.

SEC 6. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations, issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or
amended accordingly.

SEC 7. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper or general circulation.

Approved,