Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

5318
House Bill No.

Introduced by Representatives
ESTRELLITA B. SUANSING AND HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Tourism is a significant industry in the Philippines. The country’s 7,641
islands offer diverse tourism destinations attracting tourists from all over the
world. The country attracted more than 6.5 million foreign visitors in 2017.
This, in turn, has translated to the industry contributing 12.7% share of the
country’s gross domestic product in 2018!. Employment in the tourism
industry has also gone up from an estimated 4.99 Filipinos employed in 2015
to 5.4 million in 2018. It is estimated that these figures will only go up over
the years, as tourism is seen as a major growth driver.

Republic Act No. 9593, otherwise known as the Tourism Act of 2009,
has been enacted to utilize the tourism industry’s potential “as an engine of
socio-economic growth and cultural affirmation to generate investment,
foreign exchange and employment and to continue to mold an enhanced
sense of national pride for all Filipinos.”

‘The Tourism Act of 2009 also put emphasis on the role of local
government units as they are in the unique position of capitalizing tourism to
spur socio-economic growth of their respective localities. Section 42 of the
Tourism Act of 2009 specifically states that “Every province, city or
municipality in which tourism is a significant industry shall have a
permanent position for a tourism officer.” However, most local government
units are unable to comply since Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as
the Local Government Code of 1991, contains no such provision.

‘This bill, therefore, seeks to harmonize both laws by amending the
Local Government Code of 1991 to provide for mandatory appointment of
tourism officers in provinces, cities and municipalities where tourism is a
significant industry.

+ Philippine Statistics Authority: Contr
June 2019

ibution of Tourism to the Philippine Economy is 12.7 percent in 2018, 06


The presence of a dedicated tourism officer will certainly help in the
development and promotion of tourism, which will, in turn, generate
significant economic benefits for the locality.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnest sought.

. ESTRELLITA B//SUANSING REP. HO! 10 P. SUANSING, JR.
1*t District, Nuc Ecija 24 District, Sultan Kudarat


we

ware

1
12
13
14
15
16

7

18
19

Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 5318

Introduced by Representatives
ESTRELLITA B. SUANSING and HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR.

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR MANDATORY APPOINTMENT OF TOURISM OFFICERS
IN PROVINCES, CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES WHERE TOURISM IS A
SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRY, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT
NO. 7160, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF
1991, AS AMENDED

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

SECTION 1. Section 443(a) of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as The
Local Government Code of 1991, as amended, is hereby further amended to
read as follows:

“SECTION 443. Officials of the Municipal Government.
— xxx

“(b) In addition thereto, the mayor may appoint a
municipal administrator, a municipal legal officer, a
municipal agriculturist, a municipal environment and
natural resources officer, a municipal social welfare and
development officer, a municipal architect, [and] a
municipal information officer[.], AND A MUNICIPAL
TOURISM OFFICER: PROVIDED, THAT IN
MUNICIPALITIES WHERE TOURISM IS A
SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRY, THE APPOINTMENT OF A
MUNICIPAL TOURISM OFFICER SHALL BE
MANDATORY.

“XX x’

SEC. 2. Section 454(b) of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as The
Local Government Code of 1991, as amended, is hereby further amended to
read as follows:


warnuaw

16
7

18
19
20
2
22
23
24
25
26

27

28
29
30

31

32

33
34
35
36
37
38

“SECTION 454. Officials of the City Government. - (a)
XXX

“(b) In addition thereto, the city mayor may appoint a
city architect, a city information officer, a city
agriculturist, a city population officer, a city
environment and natural resources officer, [and] a city
cooperatives officer [], AND A CITY TOURISM
OFFICER PROVIDED, THAT IN CITIES WHERE
TOURISM IS A SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRY, THE
APPOINTMENT OF A CITY TOURISM OFFICER
SHALL BE MANDATORY.

“XX x”

SEC. 3. Section 463(b) of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as The
Local Government Code of 1991, as amended, is hereby further amended to
read as follows:

“SECTION 463. Officials of the Provincial Government.
— (a) xxx

(b) In addition thereto, the government may appoint a
provincial population officer, a provincial natural
resources and environment officer, a provincial
cooperative officer, a provincial architect, [and] a
provincial information officer [.], AND A PROVINCIAL
TOURISM OFFICER: PROVIDED, THAT IN
PROVINCES WHERE TOURISM IS A SIGNIFICANT
INDUSTRY, THE APPOINTMENT OF A PROVINCIAL
TOURISM OFFICER SHALL BE MANDATORY.

“XX x”

SEC. 4. A new Article shall be inserted in Title V of Republic Act No. 7160,
otherwise known as The Local Government Code of 1991 to be known as
Article XXI on the Tourism Officer, to read as follows:

ARTICLE XXI
THE TOURISM OFFICER

SECTION 490-A. QUALIFICATIONS, 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, HAS
NEVER BEEN CONVICTED OF ANY ELECTION OFFENSE OR A CRIME
PUNISHABLE BY MORE THAN SIX (6) MONTHS, A HOLDER OF A

2


Caranunewne

coe
12
13

14
15

16
17

18
19

20
2
22
23
24

25
26
27

28
29
30
31

32
33
34

35
36
37

RELEVANT BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN TOURISM, BUSINESS, LAW,
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 ACQUIRED AT LEAST FIVE (5) YEARS OF
SUBSTANTIAL WORK EXPERIENCE AND INVOLVEMENT IN THE
TOURISM INDUSTRY EITHER IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR OR
GOVERNMENT. THE APPOINTMENT OF A TOURISM OFFICER IS
MANDATORY FOR THE PROVINCIAL, CITY AND MUNICIPAL
GOVERNMENTS WHERE TOURISM IS A SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRY.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS WITH EXISTING TOURISM OFFICERS
PRIOR TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT 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:

(1) 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 OR 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 THE
PRIVATE SECTOR IN PROMOTING THE TOURISM OF THEIR
CONCERNED MUNICIPALITIES, CITIES, AND PROVINCES NATIONWIDE
AND GLOBALLY.

(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, orders, rules and regulations
contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed,
amended or modified accordingly.

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

Approved,