PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday ordered the Department of Budget and Management to use P400 million from his office’s contingency budget to fund the Department of Tourism’s (DoT) marketing campaigns this year, citing the need to boost the industry, according to the Presidential Communications Office.
“Restore the P400-million branding budget of DoT to sustain the momentum,” he said during a meeting with Tourism Secretary Ma. Christina G. Frasco, based on a statement from the presidential palace.
The President said the Philippines should not lose the momentum in promoting tourism programs to boost the country’s image and attract more foreign visitors.
Mr. Marcos earlier approved a proposal from his private sector advisers for a nationwide shopping festival and to ease visa access to foreigners, according to the palace.
In December, he signed into law a measure allowing foreign tourists to claim value-added tax for purchases worth at least P3,000. This is expected to boost tourist spending by at least 30% and benefit mostly micro, small and medium enterprises.
Based on Tourism data, the Philippines earned about P760 billion from international visitor receipts last year.
The Philippines received 5.95 million international visitors in 2024, up 9.15% but below the 7.7-million target. — John Victor D. Ordoñez