1 month ago
20
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
Rosette Adel - Philstar.com
April 30, 2026 | 1:34pm
MANILA, Philippines — Newly appointed Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said the Philippines must treat tourism as an interconnected system rather than a standalone sector, as she outlined a more coordinated approach to strengthen the industry’s competitiveness.
"Tourism is not simply about destinations. It is about livelihoods. It is about enterprises. It is about the strength and resilience of our local economies," Angara-Mathay said in a speech during the Tourism Congress of the Philippines National Conference on Tourism Resilience, attended by more than 300 participants representing all sectors of the tourism industry.
"And the role of the Department of Tourism (DOT) is clear: To lead, to align, and to ensure that tourism works-not in parts, but as a complete and competitive system," she added.
Angara-Mathay said tourism is currently in a period of adjustment, citing reports of slower booking conversions, cautious traveler sentiment and cancellations in some segments. However, she noted that demand remains strong.
From January to April 27, 2026, the country recorded 2.24 million international arrivals, up by nearly 9% from last year.
"What this tells us is simple: tourism demand is still strong-but more sensitive, more selective, and more dynamic," the tourism chief said.
Tourism, she added, contributes close to 9% of gross domestic product and supports around 6.75 million jobs, making its stability an economic priority.
Angara-Mathay said her leadership approach is shaped by her background in trade and investments, stressing that tourism functions like an industry dependent on infrastructure, supply chains, investment flows and market access.
"I see tourism not just as a sector, but as an ecosystem —one that depends on investment flows, supply chains, enterprise development, infrastructure, and market access," the DOT secretary said.
“Tourism behaves like an industry. It requires inputs. It requires coordination. It requires investment. And it requires discipline in execution,” she said.
She also pushed for stronger alignment across government agencies and stakeholders, saying tourism intersects with transport, infrastructure, culture, trade and local governance.
“Because tourism will not grow through fragmented effort. It will grow when we operate as one ecosystem,” she said.
Among her priorities are improving connectivity, expanding priority markets, boosting investment, streamlining entry systems and strengthening data-driven decision-making.
The Department of Tourism will also establish a Tourism Resilience Management Team to monitor sector conditions and coordinate responses with industry stakeholders.
Angara-Mathay took the helm of the agency early this month, replacing now Presidential Adviser for Sustainable and Resilient Communities Christina Frasco.
On April 16, Angara-Mathay convened the heads of DOT-attached agencies at the DOT Central Office in Makati to discuss priority programs, projects and initiatives aimed at boosting tourism investments and aligning these with the infrastructure and development agenda of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The new tourism chief acknowledged that she is taking on leadership amid a global environment of uncertainty and complexity, saying this calls for “clarity of purpose, strong coordination and steady leadership across all levels of the department.”
Recognizing tourism as a vital pillar of inclusive economic growth, she said it is the agency’s collective responsibility to ensure continued livelihood support, stronger enterprises and job creation for the tourism sector.
In this regard, in her speech on Wednesday, Angara-Mathay also called for partnership with the private sector, saying the agency needs investment, innovation, and alignment to achieve the DOT’s responsibilities and goals.
