State Dining Room, Malacañan Palace
April 27, 2023

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. listened to updates on the tourism sector as he convened the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) and other concerned agencies at the State Dining Room in Malacañan Palace.

Mr. Lance Gokongwei, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of JG Summit Holdings, Inc. and PSAC Tourism Sector Lead, opened the discussion where he briefed the Chief Executive on the status of matters arising from the group’s last meeting in January, including policies that are already in place such as the implementation of ‘holiday economics’ to boost domestic tourism, revocation of outdated health advisories and requirements, rollout of the e-Travel portal as replacement for the One Health Pass (OHP) and other concerns that require further review and coordination.

Recognizing travel and tourism as one of the country’s key economic drivers and among the sectors with the highest gross domestic product (GDP) multipliers, the Council presented its new tourism recommendations that would complement and support the National Tourism Development Plan — a framework that envisions to make the Philippines a ‘Tourism Powerhouse in Asia’ through the implementation of various programs and projects aimed towards the growth, development and transformation of the country’s tourism.

These recommendations seek to upgrade tourism investments by making investment incentives competitive that would result to better tourism infrastructure; address immigration congestion through process streamlining, automation and facilities improvement; optimize transportation experience to and from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) through streamlined airport transportation, information, services and facilities; elevate Intramuros in Manila as a world-class heritage tourism destination with strategic funding of investments, land-use masterplan and enhanced operational efficiency; and explore best ways forward with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) by providing additional funds, developing and leveraging its key assets, and bringing together relative government agencies in support of its masterplan.

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