Message of Senator Loren | Pasasalamat sa Tourism Frontliners | Intramuros, Manila | September 24, 2025

Magandang umaga sa inyong lahat.

Allow me to thank Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and the Department of Tourism for this invitation. It is fitting that we gather in Intramuros, where every stone tells a story and where history continues to shape how we live, work, and see ourselves as a people.

This year’s theme, “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation,” carries a timely message. Transformation requires clear values. It reminds us not to settle for tourism that is only profitable but to nurture one that uplifts local livelihoods, preserves our cultural heritage, and secures the well-being of both people and place.

Sa gitna ng modernisasyon, hindi natin binibitawan ang tunay na halaga ng kulturang Pilipino. Sa araw na ito, itinatampok natin ang kalesa at ating taos- pusong pinararangalan ang ating matitikas na kutsero. Higit pa sa isang tradisyonal na sasakyan, bitbit nito ang buhay na kuwento ng ating nakalipas, sining, at kultura na siyang humuhubog sa ating pagkakakilanlan. Kasabay ng pag-ikot ng gulong at paghakbang ng kabayo tangan- tangan ang kalesang Pilipino, patuloy din ang kabuhayan ng ating mga kutsero, kabuhayang bumubuhay sa kani-kanilang pamilya kasabay ng tuloy-tuloy din nilang pagbuhay sa ugnayan ng nakaraan at ng kasalukuyan, na siya ring nagiging daan sa pagsibol ng pag-asa para sa industriya ng turismo.

The distribution of kutsero kits is a simple gesture of our appreciation. The uniforms, hats, and essentials they receive today affirm that their work is valued and their role in tourism is respected. Through this, we acknowledge that their service is an integral part of our cultural identity and a core aspect of the valiant workers embodying our tourism industry.

In this celebration, we also acknowledge that transformation in tourism lives in the energy and vision of our youth. Through the launch of the Tourism Start-Up Challenge (TSC), students and young entrepreneurs are given the opportunity to develop solutions for a sector that must continually adapt to global trends. By nurturing ideas like the TSC, we are investing in leaders who are prepared to tackle real-world challenges. This engagement assures that the future of Philippine tourism will be inclusive, resilient, and consistently enriched by the creativity and commitment of our next generation of tourism practitioners.

I am also glad to know that you also included a Community Tour Guiding Seminar for Senior Citizens as a vital part of our celebration. Our elders hold vast6 knowledge about our culture, history, and traditions. By embracing their roles as guides we connect visitors not only to destinations but to the wisdom and stories that have been passed down through generations.

As your senator for four terms, I have long championed laws that safeguard culture, protect the environment, and strengthen livelihoods. Every initiative I have supported embodies the core philosophy that tourism thrives when it uplifts communities, protects our natural and cultural treasures, and creates dignified livelihoods for all.

Let us take inspiration from Intramuros itself. Once left in ruins, it has been restored through decades of care, advocacy, and policy. Today, it shows us that when we commit to preservation and inclusion, what was once broken can become a symbol of renewal.

My challenge to all of us here is to carry this work forward. Let us shape a tourism sector that creates meaning. One that does not exploit, but uplifts. A tourism sector that tells the world who we are as Filipinos: resilient, creative, hospitable, and proud of our8 heritage.

Maraming salamat at isang luntiang Pilipinas sa ating lahat.