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Republic of the Philippines
Bouse of Representatives
Queson City, Metro Manila

Nineteenth Congress

First Regular Session

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House Bill No.

Introduced by:

HON. MARISSA ‘DEL MAR’ P. MAGSINO
ONE FILIPINOS WORLDWIDE (OFW) PARTYLIST

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Republic Act No. 9593, also known as the ‘Tourism Act of 2009’, declares as state
policy that:

‘Tourism is an indispensable element of the national economy and an industry of
national interest and importance, which must be hamessed as an engine of
socioeconomic 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.”

Tourism brings huge economic potentials for a destination that wishes to develop its
tourism industry. It generates employment opportunities which in tum provide income,
currency exchange, taxes, and stimulate spending that bring money in, which can then be
reinvested to benefit the local communities as well as the national economy. This is known
as the muttiplier effect.

‘As measured by the share of Tourism Direct Gross Value Added (TDGVA) to the
Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the contribution of tourism industries to the Philippine
economy was estimated at 12.7 percent in 2018 valued at Php 2.2 trillion. TDGVA serves as
the indicator to measure the value added of different industries in relation to tourism
activities of both inbound and domestic visitors in the country‘.

Local government units (LGUs) play an important role in tourism development. Local
authorities invest in tourist attractions and infrastructure, maintain public and environmental
assets such as beaches, heritage sites and parks, and support festivals, events and tourism
promotion in their respective localities. On the other hand, the national government is tasked
to spearhead the development and implementation of national tourism action plans,

2 philippine Statistics Authority. ‘Contribution of Tourism to the Philippine Economy is 12.7 percent in 2018, Reference
‘No.: 2019-093, Release Date: 06 June 2019


construct roads and communication infrastructures, and provide a stable peace and order
environment, which tourists look for in deciding where to visit. Hence, the need for
complementation and coordination.

Indeed, RA 9593, while with due regard to the principle of local autonomy, mandates
LGUs to integrate and coordinate local and national plans for tourism development,
especially in areas identified as strategic in the implementation of the national tourism
development pian and which have shown strong comparative advantage. To achieve this
objective, Section 42 of RA 9593 provides that every province, city or municipality in which
tourism is a significant industry shall have a permanent position for a tourism officer, who
shall be responsible for preparing, implementing and updating local tourism development
plans, and enforcing tourism laws, rules and regulations.

However, most LGUs may be negligent or are unable to comply since Republic Act
No. 7160, otherwise known as the “Local Government Code of 1991,” contains no such
provision. Moreover, the qualifying phrase, ‘in which tourism is a significant industry’, as
found in Section 42 of RA 9593, possibly engenders the interpretation that the creation of a
permanent position for a tourism officer is mandatory only in LGUs where tourism is a
significant industry. There is a need to plug such legal loophole, and at the same time
to synchronize the provisions of existing laws on the subject.

This bill seeks for the mandatory appointment of tourism officers in all provinces,
cities and municipalities in the country and provides for their duties and functions by
amending relevant provisions of RA 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, to be
consistent with the pertinent provisions of RA 9593, thereby leaving no room for confusion
or misinterpretation of the true intent of the law, and to compel compliance by LGUs.

The creation of the mandatory position of a tourism officer in all LGUs will ensure
that there will be local officers responsible and accountable for the development of the
tourism industry in their localities, whereby it is hamessed to sustain the nation’s
economic growth and development

‘While it may be argued that the creation of permanent positions for tourism officers in

LGUs would entail additional expense in terms of personnel services, it is a small price to
pay for the benefits that LGUs could reap from the growth and development of its tourism

industry.

For the foregoing reasons, the immediate consideration and approval of this bill is

eamestly urged.
. 7) ul Mp a

HON. MARISSA ‘DEL MAR’ MAGSINO
Representative, OFW Party List


Republic of the Philippines

House of Representatives
Que;on City, Metro Manila

Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session

55

House Bill No.

Introduced by:

HON. MARISSA ‘DEL MAR’ P. MAGSINO-
ONE FILIPINOS WORLDWIDE (OFW) PARTYLIST

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

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 amended to read as follows:

Section 443. Officials of the Municipal Government. -

(a) There shall be in each municipality a municipal mayor, a 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 planning and development coordinator,
a municipal engineer/building official, a municipal health officer, fand] a
municipal civil registrar[:], AND A MUNICIPAL TOURISM OFFICER.

(b) 00%

SECTION 2. Section 454(a) of the same Code, as amended, is hereby amended to
read as follows:

Section 454. Officials of the City Government.


(a) There shall be in each city a mayor, a vice-mayor, sangguniang panlungsod

members, a secretary to the sangguniang panlungsod, a city treasurer, a city
assessor, a city accountant, a city budget officer, a city planning and
development coordinator, a city engineer, a city health officer, a city civil
registrar, a city administrator, a city legal officer, a city veterinarian, a city
social welfare and development officer, [and] a city general services officerf-]
AND A CITY TOURISM OFFICER.

(bb) Xxxxx

SECTION 3. Section 463(a) of the same Code, as amended, is hereby amended to
read as follows:

Section 463. Officials of the Provincial Government.
(a) There shall be in each province a governor, a vice-governor, members of the

sangguniang panlalawigan, a secretary to the sangguniang panlalawigan, a
provincial treasurer, a provincial assessor, a provincial accountant, a
provincial engineer, a provincial budget officer, a provincial planning and
development coordinator, a provincial legal 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[], AND A PROVINCIAL TOURISM OFFICER.

(b) Xxx

SECTION 4. A new Article XXII and a new Section 490-A are hereby incorporated in
Title V of the same Code, as amended, to read as follows:

ARTICLE XXII THE TOURISM OFFICER

SECTION 490-A — QUALIFICATIONS, POWERS AND DUTIES

(A) NO PERSON SHALL BE APPOINTED TOURISM OFFICER UNLESS

(B)

HE/SHE 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, A HOLDER OF A COLLEGE DEGREE
IN TOURISM, 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 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
PROVINCIAL, CITY AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS.

THE TOURISM OFFICER SHALL TAKE CHARGE OF THE OFFICE FOR
TOURISM AND SHALL:


(1

(2)

(3)

(4)

(8)

(6)

(7)

SECTION 5.

FORMULATE MEASURES FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE
SANGGUNIAN CONCERNED AND PROVIDE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT TO THE GOVERNOR OR MAYOR, AS.
THE CASE MAY BE, IN CARRYING OUT MEASURES TO ENSURE
THE DELIVERY OF BASIC SERVICES AND PROVISION OF
ADEQUATE FACILITIES RELATIVE TO TOURISM SERVICES AS
PROVIDED FOR UNDER SECTION 17 OF THIS CODE;

PREPARE, IMPLEMENT, COORDINATE, MONITOR AND UPDATE
TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PLANS OF THE PROVINCE, CITY OR
MUNICIPALITY, AS THE CASE MAY BE;

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

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);

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;

ESTABLISH PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL AGENCIES AND
PRIVATE ENTITIES IN PROMOTING THE TOURISM OF THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT CONCERNED; AND,

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

Separability Clause — \f any provision of this Act is held invalid or

unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared shall remain in force and effect.

SECTION 6.

Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, and rules and

regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed or amended accordingly.

SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
complete publication in in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved.