Former DOT secretary to push for tourism congressional agenda
MANILA, Philippines – Former Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo filed her certificate of nomination and acceptance as the first nominee of Turismo party-list on October 7, 2024.
A sister of senatorial aspirants Erwin and Ben Tulfo, tourism is Teo’s congressional agenda, which requires enabling laws to make them happen.
Under her tourism platform, Tulfo-Teo will push for tourism at the international, national and local levels. At the international level, Tulfo-Teo said there is a need to increase the country’s international tourism arrivals, especially from the neighboring ASEAN market.
“It is time for us to have initiatives for trade in tourism so that our neighbors will get to know and visit us more. Market reciprocity should be aggressively pushed,” she said.
READ: Senators commend Teo’s move to step down as Tourism chief
Article continues after this advertisementAt the national level, Tulfo-Teo said efforts should be made to make it easier tor tourists to visit our various tourist destinations. She added that it was time to review and amend the Tourism Act of 2009.
Article continues after this advertisement“The Tourism Act is already 15 years old and it is time to review and amend it to meet today’s requirements. This should also include the country’s response to risks and as well as to pandemics, climate change and conflict. We do not want a repeat of the Covid-19 experience,” she added.
As the country’s tourism efforts prosper, it is also important that Filipinos benefit from the economic development that comes with this.
“This will help generate more jobs and livelihood opportunities. It will also enable Filipinos to look after our tourism destinations for sustainability efforts, similar to the cleaning up of Boracay that I started at the Department of Tourism,” she said.
“We can do a lot to improve our tourism and with your help, we can promote it for our country and our countrymen,” Tulfo-Teo added.