Zubiri proposes Cabinet cluster on tourism

MANILA, Philippines — Aside from an education cluster, former Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri is pushing for the creation of a Cabinet cluster to look into addressing the multi-faceted problems of the tourism industry, especially the country’s “crown jewels,” Siargao and Palawan.

During the budget hearing with the Development Budget Coordination Committee yesterday, Zubiri floated the idea of creating a Cabinet tourism cluster comprised of the Departments of Tourism (DOT), Transportation, Public Works and Highways and Energy.

“Why can’t we just do the same cluster that Sec. (Sonny) Angara has done for education?” he asked.

Zubiri said he witnessed first-hand during a visit a few weeks ago the sad state of Siargao, with its challenges in electricity supply resulting in power outages that lasted for hours.

“I’m letting the finance team know that because it’s a whole-of-government approach, and I think we all have to help DOT through this convergence. Maybe you can ask the President to do that,” he added, referring to the Cabinet tourism cluster.

Finance Secretary Ralph Recto agreed with Zubiri, saying the tourism industry is a “low-hanging fruit” that can easily double its contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) if the government pours resources into it.

The tourism industry’s contribution to the country’s economy amounted to P2.09 trillion in 2023, which accounts for 8.6 percent of the country’s GDP, according to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.

“From 8.6 percent, we can increase it to over 20 percent because our neighbors are getting tourists left and right. We just need a straight flight from Europe to the Philippines. This is the problem now… It (tourism) contributes so much to the economy and the GDP, but yet we do not focus on it,” Zubiri said.

He also pushed for a tourism master plan to address not only the power woes of Siargao, but also those of Palawan.