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House panel outlines P43-billion stimulus package for tourism amid slump due to COVID-19

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/01/12/062816_plenary.jpg"/></figure></div>MANILA – The House Committee on Tourism has proposed a P43-billion stimulus package for the tourism industry in response to the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.The budget will be used for incentives for domestic tourism, interest-free loans for facility improvements and participation in tourism fairs to restore or identify new target markets, among others, Laguna 3rd District Rep. Sol Aragones said in a statement released Friday.The committee, which Aragones chairs, convened last Tuesday to discuss the role of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in the post-COVID-19 recovery plan.&quot;We want to get an update from the DOT. Kumusta na ba ang turismo natin? Saan tayo papunta? Ano ‘yong mga plano natin para muling makabangon?” she said.(How is our tourism industry? Where are we headed? What is our plan to recover?)“We also want to hear the recommendations, suggestions of House and committee members. Lastly we want to hear mga sentimyento (sentiments), plans, suggestions of our stakeholders sa ating (in our) tourism industry.”For the tourism sector to get back on its feet, domestic travel is being eyed as a major revenue generator, the lawmaker said.&quot;Nagkakasundo tayo, iisa &#x27;yung thought natin na domestic tourism &#x27;yung linyang tatahakin natin… At the end of the day, importante magkaroon ng COVID-free model that will serve as standard for other hotels at lahat-lahat pa na makapagsimula tayo ng turismo. Ang bottomline ng usapan natin ay gusto na natin makita ng &quot;new normal&quot; sa mundo ng turismo,&quot; Aragones said.(We agree that we will tread the path of domestic tourism... At the end of the day, it is important to have a COVID-free model that will serve as standard for other hotels so we could start with tourism. The bottomline of our discussions is we want to see a new normal in tourism.)<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/01/20/family-road-trips-domestic-travel-may-be-key-to-reviving-ph-tourism-dot">Family road trips, domestic travel may be key to reviving PH tourism: DOT</a></li></ul>During the meeting, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the tourism industry became a pillar for the country’s economic development as it grew over the past 10 years.“Not only has it contributed to 12.7 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019, but it also accounted for providing 5.4 million jobs to Filipinos in 2018, which was 13 percent of the total employment then,” she said.The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a blow to the country’s tourism industry, with a 40-percent decline in tourist arrivals in February and 70 percent in March, said Tourism Undersecretary Benito Bengzon.The P43-billion recovery package will be used to provide more employment to people as soft loans at P36 billion; P4 billion to jumpstart the TIEZA projects that are in the pipeline; and P500 million for marketing and support programs to promote domestic tourism, travel facilitation and intensified product market and development, said Tourism Assistant Secretary Roberto Alabado.Some P500 million will be used to fund international market promotions while another P500 million will be used for capacity building of industry stakeholders on how to deal with the “new normal,” he added.Alabado also said the agency proposed to allocate P1.5 billion for an institutional support program to include tourism crisis response and economic support fund, which can be used by the private sector for their activities.

The House Committee on Tourism has proposed a P43-billion stimulus package for the tourism industry to combat the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The House Committee on Tourism has proposed a P43-billion stimulus package for the tourism industry to combat the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.