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Republic of the Philippines fis )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES RECEIVED 2

Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

No, 4417

HOUSE BILL Ni

Introduced by Representative Ivan Howard A. Guintu

EXPLAN:

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Chapter 1, Section 2 of Republic Act No. 9593 or the “Tourism Act of 2009” declares
tourism as an indispensable element of the national economy and an industry of national
interest and importance, which must be harnessed 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 COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the tourism sector of the Philippines.
‘According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas! (BSP), tourist arrivals in 2020 dropped to 1.5
million, from 8.3 million tourists recorded in 2019. This drop in tourist arrivals translates to a
loss of US$7.7 billion in 2020, since during 2019, tourist arrivals generated the country US$9.3
billion. And in 2021, the country only received 163,879 foreign visitors, from 1.5 million
foreign visitors recorded in 2020. This translates to an 89% drop in travel receipts of only
US$171 million, from the US$1.6 billion recorded in 2020.

Furthermore, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority, tourism’s direct gross
value added (TDGVA) accounted for 5.4% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020,
compared to 12.8% of GDP in 2019. This translated to a drop to P973.31 billion, compared to
the P2.51 trillion last 2019. In addition, employment generated by the tourism sector dropped
in 2020, from 5.72 million employed in the tourism sector or 13.6% of the working population
during 2019, to 4.68 million or 11.9% of total employment in 2020.

These data from the BSP and PSA reflect that the tourism sector is a major economic
growth driver in our country for its major contributions in our income and GDP growth. And
as we have observed during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the absence of the tourism
sector generated the country massive losses in income and GDP growth.

" hnups:/wow-bsp.gov-ph/Media_ And Research/Publications/EN22-02.pa


As the country is starting to slowly recover from the effects of the COVID-19
pandemic, the country is beginning to open its borders to international tourists as a means of
generating income from the tourism sector. Given that our borders are open to international
tourists, the tourism industry is expected to grow by 6.7% in the next 10 years. Furthermore,
according to World Travel and Tourism Council President Julia Simpson, employment will
grow annually by an average of 3% over the next 10 years, generating nearly 3 million new
jobs which will account for 21.5% of all jobs in the Philippines.

To be able to sustain the growth of the tourism sector at the same time boost our image
and stature as a world-class international tourist destination, it is necessary to establish
programs and policies that would be able to protect the welfare of our international and
domestic tourists. Therefore, the cooperation of different government agencies related to tourist
protection and assistance must be fostered.

This bill proposes to establish measures for the protection and assistance of both
domestic and foreign tourists during their travel around the country. This Tourist Protection
and Assistance Task Force shall be composed of the Department of Tourism, the Department
of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the
Department of Justice, and the Philippine National Police. The Task Force will serve as an
umbrella agency which will ensure the adoption of uniform standards on signage for use,
provision of directional signages, preparation and dissemination of multilingual travel and
tourism information and promotional material, establishment of a toll-free assistance system,
and the creation of help desks, among others.

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

2 tnsps:// ww phlstar com business/2022/04/21/217561 Stourism-sector-contibuted-philippines-Sth-fastest-growing-economy-rank-2021-
report


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

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

7 4417

HOUSE BILL Nt

Introduced by Representative Ivan Howard A. Guintu

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING AN INTER-GOVERNMENTAL TASK FORCE FOR THE
PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE OF TOURISTS

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

Congress assembled:

SEC 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Tourist Protection and Assistance
Act”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Principles. - The State recognizes tourism as a major
contributor to the country’s economic growth. Towards this end, the State shall endeavor to
enact measures for the protection and assistance of tourists, both domestic and foreign, during
their travel around the country.

SEC. 3. Tourist Protection and Assistance Task Force. — Within nine (9) months after
the approval of this Act, the Secretary of the Department of Tourism (DOT) shall establish an
intergovernmental task force to be known as the “Tourist Protection and Assistance Task
Force”, hereinafter referred to as the “Task Force.”

It shall be the duty of the Task Force to facilitate, through the concerned national
government agencies and local government units (LGUs), the following:

(a) Adoption of uniform standards on signage for use throughout the Philippines in

order to facilitate travel in the country;

(b) Provision of directional signages in tourism facilities and destinations, including

airports, seaports, land border crossings, highways, and bus, train, and other public
transit locations’


(c) Preparation and dissemination of multilingual travel and tourism information and
promotional materials;

(@ Establishment of a toll-free telephone assistance system run by multilingual
operators to provide assistance to domestic and foreign tourists;

(e) Coordination with LGUs for the establishment of tourist help desks in identified

tourist destinations; and

(f) Institution of measures to prevent unlawful acts or harassment committed on
tourists.

SEC. 4. Composition of the Task Force. ~ The Task Force shall be composed of the
following:

(a) Secretary of the DOT or the duly designated representative as Chairperson;

() Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government or the duly
designated representative, as Vice Chairperson;

(©) Secretary of the Department of Transportation or the duly designated
representative;

(d) Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways or the duly designated
representative;

(e) Secretary of the Department of Justice or the duly designated representative;

(6) Director General of the Philippine National Police or the duly designated

representative;

(g) Such other representatives of other government agencies and private sector entities
as may be determined to be appropriate to the mission of the Task Force by the
Chairperson, as members.

The Task Force shall meet whenever necessary.

SEC. 5. Funding. ~The amount necessary to cover the expenses for the operation of
the Task Force shall be charged against the existing appropriation of the DOT as contained in
the annual General Appropriations Act.

Funds for the implementation of the programs and projects that shall be approved by
the Task Force shall be included in the appropriation of the implementing agencies concerned


SEC. 6. Separability Clause. - Should any provision of this Act or the application
thereof to any person or circumstance be held invalid, the other provisions or sections of this
Act shall not be affected thereby.

SEC. 7. Repeating Clause.— All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations
or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,