The Manila Hotel, City of Manila
June 27, 2023

“Over the years, the Department of Tourism has institutionalized an industry that became a major driver of economic growth and shaped our global trademark. Indeed, the potential of the tourism industry as an economic pillar was well seen by my father when he established the Department of Tourism in 1973,” remarked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., affirming the Administration’s commitment in advancing the country’s tourism industry during his keynote address at the celebration of the DOT’s 50th anniversary.

“This prioritization goes deeper than merely stimulating economic activities and generating job opportunities. It springs from the genuine love that you, me and all of us have for the Philippines. And what better way to express that love than by directly incorporating it to our country’s newest tourism campaign slogan: ‘LOVE the Philippines’,” continued the President, acknowledging DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and the entire Department for launching the country’s new branding which will serve as guidepost for the Philippine tourism industry in moving forward.

Apart from promotion of the country’s tourism destinations, the campaign slogan, ‘LOVE the Philippines’, also aims to enhance the overall tourist experience as laid down in detail in the National Tourism Development Plan 2023-2028.

“The five-year plan stemmed from this Administration’s determination to implement programs that will positively transform our country towards being a tourism powerhouse in Asia in the coming years,” he added.

He also noted developments in the tourism sector with the continuous improvement of figures in tourism revenues, employment, international arrivals and domestic trips. He lauded the efforts and expressed great appreciation not only to the DOT officials and employees, but to the entire workforce in the industry who welcome tourists and whose services ensure that guests would have a great and memorable experience in the country.

“The genuine warmth of the Filipino people is indeed our greatest asset. The hospitality that we extend to visitors — both local and foreign — is a unique characteristic that is innately embedded in the social fabric of being a Filipino, and it is something that we should all be very proud of,” President Marcos Jr. conveyed.

Closing his message, he called on the entire Filipino people to be the country’s tourism ambassadors and enjoined them to take pride and celebrate love for the country, which gave meaning to the DOT’s establishment, as well as propel the tourism industry to move forward.

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