Ni NOEL ABUEL
Suportado pa rin ng ilang senador si Department of Tourism (DOT) Sec. Christina Garcia Frasco sa tungkulin nito na itayo ang tourism sector ng bansa para makabangon ang ekonomiya ng bansa.
Nagkakaisa sina Senador Christopher “Bong” Go at Senador Sonny Angara na malaki pa rin ang tiwala ng mga ito kay Frasco na maibabangon ang DOT sa kabila ng pumalpak na promotional video ng DDB Philippines para sa “Love the Philippines” campaign.
“Being a member of the Senate Committee on Tourism, we must work together to correct any mistake, improve our efforts to promote our country, and give our support to the efforts being done by the present administration in uplifting our economy and the lives of the poor,” sabi ni Go.
“Ang pinakamahalaga ay ang ating sinseridad na pagbutihin ang ating trabaho na maglingkod sa bayan at siguraduhing walang nasasayang na pera na para sa taumbayan. With this, I continue to support Tourism Sec. Christina Garcia Frasco and the rest of DOT for their efforts to further improve our country’s tourism sector. I laud their immediate actions in addressing the issue that the promotional video has caused and in ensuring that public funds are not wasted. Instead of dwelling on the problem, let us work together to provide solutions,” dagdag pa ng senador.
Sinabi naman ni Angara na hindi dapat na balewalain ang ginawa ni Frasco sa DOT para mai-promote ang Pilipinas sa ibang bansa sa isang pagkakamali ng DDB Philippines.
Pinuri rin ni Angara si Frasco sa agarang paglusaw sa kontrata ng DOT sa DDB Philippines.
“Clearly there were issues with what was presented by the advertising agency but what is important is that Sec. Frasco acted immediately to address the issue and ensured that no public funds were wasted for this purpose,” sabi ni Angara.
Ayon sa senador, malaki ang naging kontribusyon ni Frasco sa pagbuhay sa tourism industry matapos ang COVID-19 pandemic.
Aniya, mula Enero hanggang Mayo ngayong taon, nakapagtala ang DOT dalawang milyong international visitor arrivals sa bansa, na lagpas sa 1.7 milyong target ng ahensya.
At mula Enero hanggang Abril, nakapagtala ang DOT ng P168.2 bilyon sa mga inbound visitor receipts, na nagpapakita na 782 dagdag na porsiyento mula sa P19.1 bilyon na tourism revenues na naitala sa kahalintulad na panahon noong nakaraang taon.
Sinabi pa ni Angara, na sa pamumuno ni Frasco, ang Pilipinas ay nakatanggap ng anim na nominasyon sa World Travel Awards Asia na Asia’s Leading Island Destination; Asia’s Leading Beach Destination; Asia’s Leading Dive Destination; Intramuros as Asia’s Leading Tourist Attraction; Cebu as Asia’s Leading Wedding Destination; at ang DOT bilang Asia’s Leading Tourist Board.
“What the DOT has done over the past two years following the pandemic has been remarkable and with Sec. Frasco leading the charge in declaring the Philippines open for tourists, I am confident that Philippine tourism will be able to reach new heights and the world will see the many reasons to Love the Philippines,” ani Angara.
OnlineBalita news 