Bohol First District Rep. Edgar Chatto expressed his congratulations and support to the Department of Tourism (DOT) for its efforts to revive and sustain the tourism industry amid the pandemic.
In a statement during the DOT budget hearing on August 15, 2023, Chatto said that he witnessed the recovery of the tourism sector in Bohol, which is one of the top tourist destinations in the country.
“We congratulated DOT led by Sec. Christina Frasco on the recovery of the tourism industry which we feel in Bohol with increased arrivals and flights,” Chatto said.
He also backed the proposed increase in the tourism budget for 2024, saying that it would help the agency in developing more tourism products and services, as well as promoting the Philippines as a safe and attractive destination.
“We are backing the increased tourism budget to support the agency in its efforts to develop tourism and sustain its growth,” he added.
Chatto, who is also the author of the Tourism Act of 2009, revealed that he initiated discussions in Congress on the allocation of the travel tax, especially in relation to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
He said that he wanted to ensure that a portion of the travel tax would be used to support tourism education and training, as mandated by the Tourism Act.
“We have also opened discussions in Congress on the travel tax allocation especially in relation to CHED to support tourism education and training as provided in the Tourism Act of 2009 which we authored,” he said.
The travel tax is a levy imposed by the government on individuals who are leaving the country. It is collected by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), which is an attached agency of the DOT.
According to TIEZA, 50% of the travel tax collection goes to its operating expenses and capital outlays, while 40% goes to CHED for higher education development. The remaining 10% is allocated to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for culture and arts promotion.
Chatto said that he hoped that his proposal would be approved by Congress and that it would benefit the tourism sector and its stakeholders.
He also thanked DOT Secretary Frasco for her leadership and vision in steering the tourism industry towards recovery and resilience.