SECRETARY FRASCO HIGHLIGHTS LGUS’ ROLE TO TOURISM DEVELOPMENT, SUSTAINABILITY AT LMP VISAYAS ISLAND CLUSTER CONFERENCE

Mandaluyong, Philippines – Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco on Tuesday (Oct. 22) underscored the important role of local government units (LGUs) in advancing sustainable tourism and community development during her keynote address at the 2024 League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Visayas Island Cluster Conference.

In her speech, Secretary Frasco expressed deep appreciation to the Visayas local chief executives. “I would like to thank the League of Municipalities of the Philippines for your continued dedication to local governance, which contributes greatly to the collective progress of our nation. As a former mayor myself, I have seen firsthand the importance of ensuring that the voices and needs of our municipalities are always front and center in the national consciousness. This experience continues to fuel my advocacy for national policies and programs to prioritize local concerns, aligning them with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s national vision for sustainable tourism development,” said Secretary Frasco, reflecting on her tenure as a three-term mayor of Liloan, Cebu.

The DOT’s efforts, aligned with the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP), particularly in Visayas, focus on enhancing connectivity, convenience, and quality in tourism services.

Secretary Frasco celebrated the Visayas’ significant role in national tourism with Central Visayas, Western Visayas, and Eastern Visayas accounting for 44% of tourist arrivals, welcoming over 2.45 million tourists in 2023. The region also contributed over 20% to the domestic tourism portfolio, recording more than 9.67 million overnight travelers.

The tourism chief lauded the Visayas LGUs for their innovative tourism infrastructure proposals, presented through the Tourism Champions Challenge (TCC), a collaborative initiative with TIEZA launched at last year’s LMP National General Assembly. She spotlighted the winning municipalities from the region, including Tubigon, Bohol for its volcanic plug; Badian, Cebu for its community tourism facility; Silago, Southern Leyte for its eco-heritage museum; Victorias City, Negros Occidental for its birdwatching site at Gawahon Ecopark; and Panay, Capiz for its coastal infrastructure project.

Secretary Frasco also noted the Visayas’ role as a hub for significant events, including the Central Philippine Tourism Expo held in Iloilo City, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) International Conference on Women in Travel in Bohol, and the First UN Tourism Regional Gastronomy Forum and the UN Tourism Joint Commission Meetings for East Asia and the Pacific and South Asia hosted in Cebu.

In the area of dive tourism, the DOT aims to enhance safety by installing additional hyperbaric chambers in different dive spots, including the Visayas in Boracay, Cebu, and Negros Oriental.

The Department continues to champion its flagship cultural tourism initiative, the Philippine Experience Program (PEP), which immerses visitors in the unique culture, traditions, and arts of various regions, which already ran nine legs, including the Western Visayas leg.

Secretary Frasco emphasized the importance of collaboration between the national government and LGUs in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “All these initiatives reflect our shared goal of promoting local tourism and international tourism, but none of these can succeed without your partnership. The localization of the Sustainable Development Goals requires a whole-of-nation approach, collaboration on all levels of governments, and therefore, as municipal leaders, your role in the success of these goals is absolutely critical,” she said.

Concluding her speech, Frasco reaffirmed the DOT’s commitment to working closely with LGUs to elevate Philippine tourism. “Let us continue to work together to ensure that tourism development in the Visayas brings economic benefits to our people while strengthening the social and environmental communities. Together, we can create resilient communities that offer tourists an authentic, sustainable experience of the Philippines while ensuring that our resources are protected for future generations.”

The LMP, established under Section 496 of the Local Government Code of 1991 (RA 7160), serves as a platform for addressing municipal governance issues in partnership with the national government. Its efforts focus on supporting municipalities and advancing nation-building.

Held at EDSA Shangri-La, the three-day conference gathered Visayas local chief executives to discuss governance priorities under the theme, “Sustainable Development: Creating Smart Communities Through Localization of the SDGs by Municipal Governments.”

“This conference is proof of our faith in collaboration. Let us take these few days while we are away from our daily grind in our municipalities to reinforce our commitment to LMP, our commitment to each other as partners in progress,” LMP National President and La Paz, Abra Mayor Joseph Bernos shared in his opening message read by LMP Secretary-General and Barcelona, Sorsogon Mayor Cynthia Falcotelo-Fortes.

DOT Undersecretary Ferdinand Jumapao and Assistant Secretary Ronald Conopio, both from Cebu, also participated in the conference.

The conference features messages of support, panel discussions, and presentations on the different SDGs including no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, and sustainable cities and communities.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, Congressman Rodante Marcoleta, and Congresswoman Camille Villar also delivered messages of support during the conference. LMP President Emeritus Chavit Singson and Congresswoman Richelle Singson made presentations on jeepney modernization.

-30-

PHOTOS: