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Philippine Tourism Network System

The Tourism Network in the Philippines
The tourism network is a partnership involving different interacting elements, such as tourists, enterprises,
institutions, and host communities (IGI Global, n.d). The tourism industry is a network that includes both the
public and private sectors.
Public Sector
The government sector of the tourism industry is responsible for formulating tourism policies, plans, and
programs. It provides guidelines for the selection and development of destinations, promotes travel to and
investments in the Philippines, and regulates the industry in collaboration with other government agencies.
Republic Act No. 9593, known as “The Tourism Act of 2009”, is an Act declaring a national policy for tourism
as an engine of investment, employment, growth, and national development and strengthening the
department of tourism and its attached agencies to effectively and efficiently implement that policy, and
appropriating funds therefore. The public tourism sector comprises national government agencies and local
government units (LGUs). The national government’s role in the growth of tourism involves research,
planning, development, monitoring, control, and implementation of policies, programs, and initiatives. On
the other hand, the LGUs, under the Tourism Act of 2009, have the power to regulate, license, and supervise
tour operators and accommodation facilities (Official Gazette, 2009).
The Department of Tourism (DOT) shall be the primary planning, programming, coordinating, implementing,
and regulatory government agency in developing and promoting the tourism industry, both domestic and
international, in coordination with attached agencies and other government instrumentalities. It shall instill
in the Filipinos the industry’s fundamental importance in generating employment, investment, and foreign
exchange. According to Subchapter II-C s. 28-31 of the Tourism Act of 2009, the following are the different
agencies and corporations attached to the DOT:
 National Parks Development Committee (NPDC) – It ensures fully developed and well-maintained
parks for the wholesome recreation and socio-cultural education of the Filipino people for the
enrichment of the country’s national identity and heritage through a partnership with the
community, government offices (GOs), and non-government organizations (NGOs).
 Intramuros Administration (IA) – Intramuros has been a priceless heritage of the past for the City of
Manila and a significant historical landmark of the Philippines. Presidential Decree No. 1616 (April
10, 1979) was established, creating the Intramuros Administration. IA is charged with a role and
responsibility for the orderly restoration and development of Intramuros as a monument to the
Hispanic period in Philippine history. It ensures that the general appearance of Intramuros conforms
to the Philippine-Spanish architecture of the sixteenth to the nineteenth century.
 Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD) – It shall undertake measures to provide the
standard basic dive rules to all levels or kinds of divers, regulate scuba sports, and technical diving in
the country and ensure the safety of the sport through the formulation of policies pursuant thereto,
in coordination with the Office of Tourism Standards and Regulations, including the regulation of the
accredited scuba sports and technical diving establishments.
 Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) – It is mandated to develop and promote the Philippines as a
retirement haven. This activity will accelerate the country’s social and economic development,
strengthening its foreign exchange position while providing further best quality of life to the
targeted retirees in a most attractive package.
 Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF) – It is mandated to promote, encourage, and initiate research and
development projects and activities in social sciences, humanities, social and amelioration, and allied
fields. The Foundation is a non-stock, non-profit public corporation organized, established, and
operated in the public interest, and no portion of its funds and income shall take effect for the
benefit of any of its members.

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 Duty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC) – It shall have the exclusive authority to operate and/or
franchise out the operation of stores and shops that shall sell, among others, duty and tax-free
merchandise, goods, and articles in international airports and seaports, other ports of entry
throughout the country and in Tourism Enterprise Zones (TEZ; a TEZ is a tract of land to be
developed into a tourism complex to host tourism enterprise facilities and services within the
property).
 Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) – It is responsible for implementing
policies and programs of the DOT pertaining to developing, promoting, and supervising tourism
projects in the Philippines. TIEZA’s main tasks include building tourism infrastructure, designation,
regulation, and supervision of TEZs, operation and management of TIEZA assets, and the collection
of the Philippine travel tax (a levy imposed by the government on individuals [citizens of the
Philippines, permanent resident aliens who have stayed in the country for more than a year] who
are leaving the country irrespective of the place where the air ticket is issued). Travel tax collection is
also the agency’s primary source of income.
 Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) – It is responsible for marketing and promoting the Philippines
domestically and internationally as a major global tourism destination, highlighting its uniqueness
and assisting the development of its tourism products and services, with the end view of increasing
tourist arrivals and tourism investment. Specifically, it shall market the Philippines as a major
convention destination in Asia. To this end, it shall take charge of attracting, promoting, facilitating,
and servicing large-scale events, international fairs and conventions, congresses, sports
competitions, expositions, and the like.

Other Government Agencies Influencing Tourism

These are the government agencies that indirectly participate in tourism but have a substantial contribution
to its efficient operations (Tuazon-Disimulacion, 2016):
 Bureau of Immigration (BI) – It is responsible for administrating and enforcing immigration,
citizenship, and alien admission and registration laws per the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940. It
also plays a role in the enforcement of RA 9208, also known as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of
2003.
 Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) – It is the agency of the government primarily responsible for
the pursuit of the State's foreign policy and the nerve center for a Foreign Service worthy of the trust
and pride of every Filipino. It is also the primary representative of the Philippine government
overseas.
 Department of Transportation (DOTr) – It is the primary policy, planning, programming,
coordinating, implementing, and administrative entity of the executive branch of the government on
the promotion, development, and regulation of a dependable and coordinated network of
transportation systems, as well as fast, safe, efficient, and reliable transportation services.
 Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) – It is an agency granted the rights,
privileges, and authority to operate and maintain gambling casinos, clubs, and other recreation or
amusement places, sports, gaming pools, i.e., basketball, football, lotteries, etc., whether on land or
sea, within the territorial jurisdiction of the Republic of the Philippines.
 National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) – It is mandated to encourage the continuing
and balanced development of a pluralistic culture by the people and conserve, promote, and protect
the nation's historical and cultural heritage.
Other agencies may influence tourism in addition to the above such as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP),
National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

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Private Sector
Six (6) primary industries/sectors are directly involved in tourism. These tourism sectors include
accommodation, food and beverage, transportation, attractions, MICE, and travel trade (Tuazon-
Disimulacion, 2016).
Accommodation Sector
This sector includes facilities and amenities that offer guests a place to stay for rest and sleep. Aside from
tangible products, such as rooms, beds, and meals, these facilities also provide services to meet guests’
needs and expectations. Examples of establishments in this sector include hotels, resorts, apartment hotels,
motels/motor hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, and hostels.
Transportation Sector
This sector brings passengers from their place of origin to their desired destination. There are several modes
of travel: air, land, and sea.
 Air Transportation. It comprises scheduled and chartered air services. Airlines have enabled more
people to travel to different destinations worldwide in a brief time. Examples of airlines in the
Philippines offering international and domestic flights are Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and
Philippines AirAsia. Airports are an integral part of this sector. Ninoy Aquino International Airport
(NAIA), located in Metro Manila, is the country’s main airport that regularly caters to international
and domestic flights. Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu is the second busiest airport in the
country, where international and domestic flights are also available (Cybulskie, 2022).
 Land Transportation – It is a safe, convenient, and cheaper mode of travel that enables the
movement of people and goods without needing an airport or pier. Land transportation services
include public transportation such as taxis/limousines, buses, rail, and private cars (Philippine
Department of Tourism, n.d.).
o Taxicab (Taxi) is a public passenger vehicle usually fitted with a taximeter, especially in
automobiles. Metered taxis are available for service in the Philippines.
o Bus services, either air-conditioned or non-air-conditioned, are available to nearly all major
destinations in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Examples of bus companies in the country are
Five Star Bus, Viron Transit, Victory Liner, and Bataan Transit.
o Railway transport is available within Metropolitan Manila, which includes the Light Railway
Transit (LRT), Metro Rail Transport (MRT), and the Philippine National Railways (PNR). It is the
most economical and fastest means to travel throughout the metropolis. (Note: As of 2022, the
Philippine government’s project, called North-South Railway Project, involves the development
and revitalization of the long-haul and commuter railway network, which will be built on the
PNR’s legacy track [North-South Railway Project, Philippines, 2022].)
o Car and motorcycle rentals are available in major cities in the Philippines. Booking a car or
motorcycle is also convenient through online applications like Grab for cars and Angkas and
JoyRide for motorcycles. Some motorcycle rentals in the country are called habal-habal
(motorcycle taxis or motorcycles for hire).
o Other land transportation like public utility jeepneys (PUJs) and tricycles are well-known types of
public land transportation in the Philippines. Jeepney or jeep, a popular Filipino icon, is the most
used method of transportation all over the country. Whether in Metro Manila or small towns
and villages, commuters always choose a jeepney to take them from point to point as it is widely
available and cheap. Tricycles, three-wheeled vehicles consisting of a motorcycle with a sidecar,
are also a popular means of passenger transport.
 Water Transportation – It is a cheaper mode of travel for passengers with bulky luggage. Regarding
travel and tourism, water transport refers to the movement of passengers and goods via water. The
various means of water transport in the Philippines include roll-on/roll-off (RORO, a mode of marine
transportation wherein the cargo is capable of being loaded and unloaded from the ship through

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horizontal movements, that is, it can move on its wheels) or passenger ships between Manila and
the country’s major ports. Fast sea crafts and ferry services are available to and from smaller islands.
Island hopping by bangka (a small, local boat) is also offered by resorts. 2GO Travel is one of the
largest sea travel providers in the Philippines, providing travelers with a wide selection of reasonably
priced hotel accommodations, tours, and event packages.
Food and Beverage Sector
Food and beverage service refers to the preparation, presentation, and service of meals and drinks to guests.
It is also through this sector that travelers can experience the culture and heritage of a destination country.
Some examples of establishments in this sector are restaurants, bars, cafés, cafeterias, and clubs.
Attractions Sector
Attractions are the main reason travelers go to a particular destination and where leisure and recreation
activities can also be provided. These also feature the heritage formations and structures that tell the history
of a destination country.
Attractions can be classified as natural attractions and man-made attractions. Natural attractions are
geographic or geological features created by nature that attract people (the geographical features of the
Philippines were discussed in 01 Handout 1). Man-made attractions are structures and sites either built for
tourism or non-tourism purposes. Examples of attractions made for tourism purposes are theme parks, such
as the Enchanted Kingdom and Star City, museums like the National Museum, The Mind Museum, and Pinto
Art Museum, zoos like Manila Zoo, Avilon Zoo, and Baluarte Zoo, and casinos like Resorts World Manila,
Solaire Resort and Casino, and Okada Manila Resort & Casino. At the same time, cathedrals and churches
(e.g., Manila Cathedral, San Sebastian Church, and Paoay Church), castles, communities, and factories are
examples of attractions built for non-tourism purposes.
Meeting, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) Sector
This sector refers to a fast-growing segment of the tourism industry dedicated to planning, organizing,
booking, and facilitating conferences, seminars, and other events. The following are its components (Tuazon-
Disimulacion, 2016):
 Meeting – It is a gathering of two (2) or more people with a common agenda.
 Incentive – It is a management tool used to increase the performance level of employees to meet
organizational goals.
 Convention – It is similar to a meeting with the presence of an exhibit and other simultaneous
activities.
 Exhibition – It is where products, services, or promotional materials are displayed and is focused
more on business-to-business relationships.
Common MICE events in the Philippines are travel and tour expositions, summits, and national and
international conferences.
Travel Trade Sector
The travel trade sector comprises people and companies that resell travel products and services they have
bought and/or reserved from other parties. It includes travel agents, tour operators, and tour guides linking
buyers and sellers in tourism.
In the tourism industry, both public and private sectors must collaborate and interact to develop a country’s
tourism. The private sector must abide by government agencies' standards, policies, and regulations. At the
same time, the public sector must create and enforce laws and guidelines for properly regulating the tourism
industry in a country.

References:
2GO Travel – about us. (n.d.). 2GO Travel. https://travel.2go.com.ph/about-us.aspx

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