Legarda calls for stronger support to tourism frontliners, youth, and senior citizens

Senator Loren Legarda urged greater recognition and support for tourism frontliners, youth innovators, and senior citizens during the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) Tourism Month Activities held at the Centro de Turismo, Intramuros, Manila.

The program, led by DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, featured the ‘Pasasalamat sa Tourism Frontliners,’ the launch of the ‘Tourism Start-Up Challenge 2025’ with CHED and TIEZA, and the ‘Community Tour Guiding Seminar for Senior Citizens.’

Legarda highlighted how each sector contributes to the strength of the industry.

“Our frontliners carry the everyday work of presenting our culture to visitors. Our youth bring forward ideas and energy through the Start-Up Challenge. Our senior citizens provide the perspective and knowledge that only experience can give. Together, they reflect a tourism sector that is people-centered and grounded in heritage,” she said.

Now on her fourth term in the Senate, Legarda has championed cultural preservation, environmental protection, and livelihood support through measures such as the National Cultural Heritage Act, the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act, and the Philippine Tropical Fabrics Law. She said these laws were designed to link tourism with culture, nature, and community welfare.

“Tourism must deliver employment and income while protecting heritage and natural resources. Intramuros itself shows that when we invest in preservation, we create both pride and opportunity,” Legarda stressed.

She also noted that this year’s Tourism Month theme, Tourism and Sustainable Transformation, provides a clear direction: policies and programs must build resilience, ensure inclusivity, and protect the country’s identity while advancing economic growth.

“Intramuros shows us what can happen when we commit to preservation. It was once in ruins, yet today it stands as a symbol of memory and renewal. The same can be true for communities across the country if we ensure that transformation is rooted in culture, dignity, and sustainability,” Legarda concluded. (30)