Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. _____ 
___________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Representative PABLO JOHN F. GARCIA     
___________________________________________________________________  
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippines is a shining jewel in the east—the Pearl of the Orient. Our 
unique place on this Earth has enabled us to be a bustling trading hub since the ancient 
times and a modern-day tourism powerhouse. From the shores of Pagudpud in 
northern Ilocos to Gumasa Beach in southern Sarangani, the Philippines is home to a 
plethora of attractions and features—both manmade and those sculpted by nature. 
Verdant hills, meandering rivers, and lush plains dot the land. 
The Philippine Statistics Authority reported recently that tourism’s contribution 
to the country’s gross domestic product grew from 12.3 percent in 2018 to 12.7 percent 
in 2019.1 Tourism-related industries employed 14 out of 100 employed Filipinos in 
2019.2 The report noted that employment in the tourism industry increased from 5.36 
to 5.71 million in 2019.3 Tourism Direct Gross Value Added, the gross value added 
generated by tourism industries and other industries of the economy that directly serve 
visitors, amounted to Php 2.48 trillion in 2019, higher by 10.8 percent compared to the 
Php 2.24 trillion in 2018.4 
But that was before the Covid-19 pandemic engulfed the world. Travel halts, 
lockdowns, and stringent health protocols have naturally devastated the tourism 
industry and all those who rely on it. The Philippines lost about P400 billion in income 
last year due to the decrease in the number of foreign tourists visiting the country,5 
1 Philippine News Agency, Tourism industry hikes share in GDP to 13%, available at 
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1106568. 
2 Id. 
3 Id. 
4 Id. 
5 Erwin Colcol, GMA News, DOT: Philippines lost P400B in income due to low foreign tourist arrivals 
in 2020, available at https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/774395/dot-philippines-lost-
p400b-in-income-due-to-low-foreign-tourist-arrival-in-2020/story/. 
July 27, 2021
9:14 am
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This bill aims to inject much needed appropriations into critical areas of the 
tourism industry to help mitigate the effects of this pandemic and prepare businesses 
and workers for the eventual rebound.  
The measure focuses on the following policies and programs: 
●
Interest-free loans or loan guarantees up to five years for maintenance
and operating expenses;
●
Credit facilities for upgrading, rehabilitation, or modernization of current
establishments to be compliant with new health and safety standards;
●
Marketing and product development promotions and programs;
●
Grants for education, training, and advising for tourism stakeholders for
new normal alternative livelihood programs;
●
Utilisation of information technology for the improvement of tourism
services;
●
Development of a tourist tracking system for emergency response and
establishment of spatial database to improve planning capacity;
●
Waiver of participation fees for all international fairs, exhibitions and
roadshows for three years; and
●
A moratorium on accreditation fees for one year
It is hoped that the infusion of these resources and the statutory restructuring of 
how the tourism industry should go about things, will lead to a greater rebound in the 
future once the pandemic is behind us and serve as a catalyst for long-term growth. 
In view of the foregoing, the urgent passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
Rep. PABLO JOHN F. GARCIA 
3rd District, Province of Cebu 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. _____ 
___________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Representative PABLO JOHN F. GARCIA     
___________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT 
STRENGTHENING THE TOURISM INDUSTRY OF THE PHILIPPINES, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, ESTABLISHING ADAPTIVE 
STANDARDS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Congress of the 
Philippines in session assembled: 
Section 1.  Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Tourism Rebound 
Act”. 
Section 2.  Declaration of Policy. - The State declares tourism as an 
indispensable element of the economy and an industry of national interest and 
importance, which must be harnessed 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. The State 
shall thus see to it that the industry remains sustainably resilient to pandemics, natural 
disasters, and other disruptive emergencies. 
Section 3. 
Lead Agency. - The Department of Tourism shall be the primary 
government agency responsible for the implementation and enforcement of this Act, 
the advancement of the declared policies in Section 2 It shall ensure that the mandates 
provided in this Act are fulfilled by adopting the necessary initiatives, programs, and 
projects and that interagency cooperation and the proper public and private linkages 
are observed in the accomplishment of the purposes prescribed herein. The 
Department shall ensure that resiliency, sustainability, and inclusivity are at the core 
of its efforts.  
Section 4. 
Tourism Rebound Policies and Programs. - The Department 
of Tourism shall implement the following policies and programs to facilitate the 
recovery of the tourism industry of the Philippines and revitalize it moving forward: 
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(a) 
Interest-free loans or loan guarantees up to five (5) years for 
maintenance and operating expenses for qualified and accredited tourism-
related enterprises that the Department determines to be of critical importance 
and have been greatly affected by the pandemic; 
 
(b) 
Credit facilities for upgrading, rehabilitation, and/or modernization 
of current accredited and qualified establishments to be compliant with new 
health and safety standards; 
 
(c) 
Marketing and product development promotions and programs; 
 
(d) 
Grants for education, training, and advising for tourism 
stakeholders for the “new normal” alternative livelihood programs; 
 
(e) 
Utilisation of information technology for the improvement of 
tourism services; 
 
(f) 
Development of a tourist tracking system for emergency response 
and establishment of spatial database to improve planning capacity; 
 
(g) 
Waiver of participation fees for all international fairs, exhibitions 
and roadshows for the next three (3) years following the effectivity of this Act; 
and 
 
(h) 
A moratorium on accreditation fees by the Department for a period 
of one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act. 
 
Section 4. 
Report to Congress. - The DOT shall report to Congress, not 
later than March 30 of every year following the effectivity of this Act, the progress of 
tourism rebound efforts and make the necessary recommendations in areas where 
there is need for legislative action.  
 
Section 5. 
Appropriations. - Sixty billion pesos (Php 60,000,000,000.00), or 
such amount thereof as may be necessary for the implementation of the provisions of 
this Act, is hereby appropriated. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the 
continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
 
Section 6. 
Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DOT shall issue 
within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act the necessary rules and regulations 
for the effective implementation of this Act. 


Section 7. 
Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, proclamations, 
rules, regulations and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
 
Section 8. 
Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act is held 
unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions thereof which are not affected shall 
continue to remain in full force and effect. 
Section 9. 
Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following 
completion of its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,