Senators vow to help increase budget for DoT

Senators vowed to help the Department of Tourism (DoT) increase its proposed ‘’measly’’ 2017 P2.46 billion budget saying that the next fiscal year is a a crucial time for the Philippine government to step up its tourism efforts in order to counter any negative perception that the international community may have towards the country.

Sen. Loren Legarda, chairwoman of the Senate finance committee, told DoT officials led by its secretary, Wanda Corazon T. Teo, to make study their Department of Budget and Management (DBM)-slashed budget and make a formal request for augmentation.

‘’With my colleagues who are supportive of the (tourism) industry, there should be increase of 5.3 percent increase in thetourism share to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) to 10 percent of the GDP. If you need augmentation, inform us,’’ Legarda said during the first hearing by the Senate of the budget of a Cabinet member in the current 17th Congress.

Senate President Pro-Tempore Franklin M. Drilon lamented the huge decrease in the budget of the DOT during DoT budget hearing.

Drilon said that the tourism department’s budget was slashed by 32 percent from P3.62 billion this year to P2.40 billion next year.

Source: Manila Bulletin