DOT backs Marcos’ push for quality jobs, highlights tourism’s economic impact
Credit to Author: Rosette Adel| Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2025 19:53:00 +0800
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) expressed full support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call to generate quality jobs to eliminate poverty and hunger in the Philippines.
In a statement following the president’s fourth State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 28, DOT Secretary Christina Frasco said the agency was “deeply grateful” that tourism was once again recognized as a vital sector in improving the lives of Filipinos.
In his SONA speech, Marcos mentioned that decent jobs are truly an effective guarantee against poverty and hunger, noting the efforts of government agencies in creating opportunities for the labor force.
“Dumarami ang mga nalilikhang hanapbuhay sa ating bansa ngayon. Magpupursige ang DOLE, DTI, DSWD, kasama na rin ang DOT, at mga kaugnay na ahensiya, sa paghahanap ng paraan at mga oportunidad para sa natitirang apat na porsiyento ng ating puwersang manggagawa na hanggang ngayon, walang trabaho,” he said.
(The number of jobs being created in our country is increasing. DOLE, DTI, DSWD, together with the Department of Tourism and other related agencies, will continue to work hard to find ways and opportunities for the remaining four percent of our labor force who are still unemployed.)
This pronouncement aligns with the DOT’s commitment to supporting livelihoods through tourism.
Frasco cited the contributions of the agency in employing Filipino workers.
“Under the Marcos administration, tourism has grown into a major economic pillar that empowers communities and creates jobs,” the tourism chief said.
“Through programs and policies that prioritizes the people’s welfare, tourism now employs 6.75 million Filipinos, a share of 13.83% to the country's total employment, with more than 10 million more benefitting from the industry through indirect employment,” she added.
The DOT chief stressed that the agency continues to work alongside its partner agencies, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development to ensure social protection for tourism frontliners during calamities, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Small Business Corporation (SBCorp) for the Turismo Asenso loans for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in tourism, and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to introduce the Balik Bayani sa Turismo program to reintegrate returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) into the tourism workforce.
“With internal tourism expenditures reaching P3.86 trillion in 2024, 13.12% higher from the P3.41 trillion in 2023 and surpassing 2019 levels, we take to heart the president's call for the global community to invest in the Filipino as this is crucial to the success of tourism,” Frasco said.
“With this, the DOT has ensured a world-class tourism workforce through high-impact programs such as the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) and Tourism Industry Skills Program (TISP), which have trained over 358,000 tourism workers, collectively,” she added.
Apart from the generation of quality jobs, Frasco also welcomed Marcos’ support for thriving industries such as Halal, which the DOT has been promoting as part of its initiative to diversify the country’s tourism offerings.
The DOT also praised the administration’s push to improve the tourist experience through infrastructure upgrades for the convenience of both locals and international visitors.
Finally, the DOT chief commended the government’s focus on peace, security, and climate action, areas critical to achieving collective aspirations of the tourism industry.
“We remain committed to building a tourism industry that is not only globally competitive, but also grounded on our shared mission to uplift the lives of every Filipino through dignified and sustainable livelihood,” the DOT secretary’s statement concluded.
In his third SONA last year, Marcos underscored the importance of “experiential tourism” for industry growth. The Department of Tourism welcomed this focus, saying it resonates with their efforts “to promote our culture and identity” and aligns perfectly with the strategic direction outlined in the National Tourism Development Plan 2023 to 2028.