Developed infra will strengthen tourism sector, Marcos says

There is a need to develop infrastructure and policies to strengthen the country's tourism industry, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has said.

The matter was discussed during the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday which Marcos presided over virtually as he was in isolation due to COVID-19 infection. He mentioned Singapore's developed tourism sector, despite limited natural resources, because of its policies and infrastructure.

"That means that it can be done. We just have to support the plan to develop all of these enabling environment – the policy, conditions, and infrastructure,” Marcos said, adding the importance of ease of doing business in the tourism sector.

Further, he discussed how healthcare facilities in big tourist destinations, such as the Boracay Island, could be improved similar to the arrangement in beaches in Hawaii and Thailand.

"[Sa] beach, maraming police and everything… So, if anything happens along that stretch, mayroon silang tatakbuhan kaagad. The lifeguards know exactly where to bring them,” he said.

(There's a lot of police and everything... If anything happens, there is someone they can run to. The lifeguards know exactly where to bring them.)

“That is supported by the local industry. Toka-toka sila (they have assigned tasks), to keep a doctor there, to keep a nurse there," Marcos added.

For her part, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco emphasized that the Philippines is “certainly not at a disadvantage” when it comes to the availability of natural resources and wealth of talent as well as products and people.

“But certainly, many measures could be improved as far as policy regulations, both on the national and local level, and proper coordination – to be able to focus on the overall tourist experience from the time that he arrives to the point of entry to the time that he gets to his point of destination,” Frasco said.

“Certainly, to benchmark their policies in this regard would be the direction that we would take per your instructions,” Frasco added.

Frasco, who also attended the meeting virtually, had a presentation on the agency, "laying down the realities, challenges, major objectives and focus points on tourism connectivity, tourist convenience, and equality of tourism development across the country, in line with the President’s vision for tourism to be a major pillar for economy recovery." — RSJ, GMA News