Lawmakers from the House of Representatives advocated for an increase in the budget of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and its attached agencies for the 2026 fiscal year.
The call was made during the DOT’s budget presentation before the House Committee on Appropriations on Tuesday (September 2), where Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco outlined key priorities and funding allocations to sustain the country’s tourism recovery and development initiatives.
Under the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2026, the DOT is proposing a PHP3.718 billion budget for the agency. An amount of PHP3.19 billion is obligated to the Office of the Secretary, while attached agencies, Intramuros Administration (IA), the National Parks Development Committee (NPDC), and the Philippine Commission of Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD) will have PHP159 million, PHP320 million, and PHP44.9 million, respectively.
Presiding over the budget briefing, Rep. Bernadette Escudero of the 1st District of Sorsogon–who sits as House Committee on Appropriations Vice Chairperson–described the transformative role of tourism in uplifting lives, especially on the regional level.
“I have seen firsthand how tourism can transform lives—how a simple homestay, a small food stall, or a guided tour can provide livelihood for families. Every beach we preserve, every cultural tradition we keep alive, is not just about attracting visitors; it is about honoring who we are and ensuring that our people benefit from the blessings of our land. This, for me, is what makes Philippine tourism so meaningful,” she said.
House Committee on Appropriations Vice Chairperson and TGP-Partylist Rep. Jose “Bong” Teves, Jr. also manifested his support to the DOT’s proposed budget, noting the massive potential of the domestic tourism market of the Philippines in the entire Southeast Asia. The lawmaker also thanked the Department, through its attached agency, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), for providing a Tourist Rest Area (TRA) in Baras town, the surfing capital of the Province of Catanduanes.
“I would like to reiterate my full support for the proposed budget of the Department of Tourism. And if possible, taasan po natin ito. I also encourage my fellow congressmen to support the same,” he said.
Leyte 5th District Rep. Carl Nicolas Cari echoed the importance of tourism investments, thus, echoing his support by saying: “I want to express my support for increasing the Department of Tourism’s budget. The Secretary’s statement from last year still resonates with me: every peso invested in tourism is an investment in our nation’s future, the lives of millions of Filipinos.”
Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez also manifested his support.
“This representation would like to manifest that the Department of Tourism not only needs its budget restored, but certainly increased for the benefit of our nation. I believe that with what is going on amongst our ASEAN countries, this is a bright spot for the Philippines,” he said. Victorias City, where Rep. Benitez formerly served as Mayor, bagged one of the winning projects of the DOT’s Tourism Champions Challenge (TCC) under the Visayas cluster.
Support for continuing and new tourism roads
For Secretary Frasco, support for continuing and new tourism roads under the Tourism Road Infrastructure Project (TRIP) is important so as not to “stagnate the development of destinations and unnecessarily quell opportunities for emerging destinations to be discovered, highlighted and promoted.”
Thus, seasoned congressman Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of the 2nd District of Cagayan De Oro and House Committee on Appropriations Vice Chairperson said: “Clearly, there is a need to restore the budget that has been given to the Department of Tourism on the TRIPs. In other words, how can we continue to be able to develop our tourist sites in the different parts of the Philippines, not only in Luzon or Metro Manila, we’re talking of bringing out all of this development in the region, especially in Mindanao. So in the proper time, Madam Chair, I would be asking that this committee be able to recommend to the plenary the restoration of at least PHP6 billion for the roads leading to tourists destinations.”
Rep. Brian Poe-Llamanzares of FPJ Panday Bayanihan Partylist also noted the importance of supporting quality infrastructure, particularly tourism roads: “Ang complaint lagi ng mga kababayan natin is the travel time between provinces, either nahihirapan sila dahil tumataas ang terminal fee between provinces. Another complaint is the condition of our ports and airports for domestic travel, but easily addressable. And something that receives zero funding from DPWH is our road infrastructure leading to our beautiful beaches and destination locations. So, if we can, Madam Chair, if we can support the DOT in creating more meaningful infrastructure here in the Philippines, I believe we should do so,” he said.
Other congressmen who aired their support and lobbied for an increased budget for the DOT are the House Committee on Tourism Chairperson and Lone District of Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona, Rep. Marlo Bancoro of the 1st District of Zamboanga Sibugay, Rep. Francisco “Lalo” Matugas of the 1st District of Surigao Del Norte, Rep. Roger “Oging” Mercado of the 1st District of Southern Leyte, Rep. Edwin Ongchuan of the 2nd District of Northern Samar, Rep. Marlyn “Len” Primicias-Agabas of the 6th District of Pangasinan, Rep. Ma. Nina Francesca Lacson of the Manila Teachers Partylist, Rep. Abdulmunir Mundoc Arbison of the 2nd District of Sulu, Rep. Ivan Howard Guintu of PINUNO Partylist, and Rep. Jose Gay Padiernos of GP Partylist.
Concluding the budget hearing, House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson and Nueva Ecija 1st District Rep. Mikaela Angela B. Suansing conveyed the Committee’s commitment to address representatives’ concerns, particularly on the need to support the construction of new roads under the TRIP, in addition to continuing roads.
“I believe a lot of our colleagues here today expressed full support for additional funding for [TRIPC,] given that it is a very vital component of helping the tourism traffic towards our critical tourism sites throughout the country,” she noted.
Frasco highlights tourism’s stellar performance
Presenting the DOT’s proposed FY 2026 budget, Secretary Frasco shared the outstanding performance of the industry last year.
“Tourism’s vital role as an engine of our nation’s growth finds its grounding in the 1987 Philippines Constitution, which mandates the State to ensure the preservation and promotion of our culture and heritage, and thereby directs the government to invest resources in ensuring that the benefits of tourism are far-reaching and equitable,” the tourism chief said in her opening statement during the budget hearing.
“Recognizing the necessity of ensuring a developmental approach towards harnessing the potential of tourism for the Philippines, we have ensured that we use every peso that has been invested in tourism in as creative, as innovative, and as equitable a manner as we can,” she added.
In 2024, Philippine tourism generated approximately PHP3.86 trillion in internal tourism expenditure, accounting for 8.9 percent contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The figure is about 13.12 percent higher from 2023 and surpassing pre-pandemic levels at 103.21 percent by 2019. The industry also generated a record-breaking PHP700 billion in inbound tourism expenditure in the same year, cementing a rising global demand and contribution to the local economy.
The DOT recorded about 134 million in domestic trips, with domestic tourism expenditure surging up to PHP3.16 trillion, powering our local destinations. This also exceeded the country’s pre-pandemic record of 122 million domestic trips and PHP3.14 trillion in domestic expenditures in 2019.
At present, the Philippines now leads Southeast Asia in terms of domestic tourism expenditure, accounting for over one-third of the region’s total. In 2024, domestic tourism was valued at about USD63.4 billion, and is projected to reach approximately USD70 billion this year.
Most importantly, about 6.75 million Filipinos are directly employed in tourism, or about 13.4 percent of the country’s total workforce in 2024.
Under the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2023-2028 to improve connectivity and convenience, the DOT has already opened 12 operational TRAs across the Philippines, which provide convenience to tourists through clean and decent restrooms, a charging station, providing PWD- and child-friendly facilities, as well as a pasalubong center to help micro, small, and medium enterprises sell their local goods. The DOT is now on the road to build 100 TRAs across the country, strategically located to serve both high-volume destinations and as investments in potential and emerging destinations. According to the tourism chief, this expansion will ensure that every region benefits from tourism infrastructure development.
Five tourist facilities under the TCC are also under construction. The TCC, according to Secretary Frasco, heavily involves the grassroots, where the DOT solicits proposals from local government units across the country for sustainable, inclusive, and resilient tourism infrastructure.
Other equally important and ongoing initiatives of the DOT include the Philippine Experience Program (PEP) Heritage, Culture, and Arts Caravans which has so far benefitted 32 provinces, 31 cities, and 51 municipalities across 12 regions, mounting of events and participation in both in local and international expositions, rolling out of Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours, Tourist Assistance Call Center (TACC), Travel App Philippines, as well as promotion of dive, golf, gastronomy, film, sports tourism, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE), and English as a Second Language (ESL), among others.
Central to the DOT’s efforts to elevate Philippine tourism is also human capital development. From a baseline of only 16,000 tourism workers trained under the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE), the Department has now managed to train over 330,000 tourism workers under this flagship program.
It was also under the Marcos Administration when the DOT strongly pushed for Halal and Muslim-friendly tourism, identified as one of the fastest-growing and highest-valued segments of tourism in the world.
Among the recent efforts of the DOT also include the push for additional flights and air seats for increased connectivity, liberalization of visa policies, especially for Indian nationals, the arrival of the prestigious Michelin Guide into the country, hosting of the biggest international events including the upcoming Terra Madre Pacific and ASEAN Tourism Forum, rollout of the Turismo Asenso Loan and the Bayanihan sa Bukas na May Pag-asa sa Turismo program, among others.
The DOT and its attached agency, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, also successfully led the country’s participation at the Expo 2025 Osaka in Japan, where the Philippine Pavilion received an excellent reception from the public. As one of the most well-loved and most visited pavilions in Osaka, the Philippine Pavilion has generated 814,922 guests since its opening in April until August 27, 2025.
“The story of the Philippine tourism industry has been one of resilience amidst struggles, resourcefulness amidst fiscal limitations, and the resolve to remain a source of hope for millions of Filipinos,” the tourism chief said.
In a separate interview with reporters after the budget hearing, Secretary Frasco expressed gratitude to the lawmakers for their support to the DOT:
“We welcome the manifestations made by our members of Congress to support the Department of Tourism programs and initiatives, because tourism is the best investment for our economy and for our people. It employs millions of Filipinos. It powers many small and medium enterprises, and it brings our communities to life, continuing to open up economic advancement for various sectors across our destinations. So, we are very pleased that the House of Representatives has received our proposals for budget allocations quite positively, and have voiced their support for the necessity of ensuring sufficient funding for the Department of Tourism,” she said.
