A report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) recently said that the tourism sector has contributed 8.6 percent to the Philippine economy as measured by the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023. Since this is an official figure, it is safe to believe it and even gloat about it, recognizing that Philippine tourism, travel and hospitality industries support the livelihood and jobs of thousands of local workers.
The industry also generated and sustained 6.21 million employment for Filipinos in the same year, almost breaching the DOT’s target tourism employment of 6.3 million by 2028.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said this growth reflects the Marcos administration’s “strong emphasis” on prioritizing the sector.
“The results of the PSA report clearly show the enthusiasm of our fellow Filipinos in exploring and experiencing the beauty of our own country, and their profound love for the Philippines,” Frasco said.
The tourism industry’s growth in 2023 is an indication that the Philippines is fast becoming a “destination of choice” to both foreign and domestic tourists post-pandemic, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said.
“It reflects the strong desire to support local businesses, contribute to the growth of our economy, and demonstrate the increasing appeal of the Philippines as a destination of choice for both international visitors and our fellow Filipinos abroad,” she said.
The Tourism Direct Gross Value Added (TDGVA) amounted to PHP2.09 trillion in 2023, the highest since the PSA began compiling the data in 2000.
The figures are higher by 47.9 percent compared with the PHP1.41 trillion TDGVA in 2022 when it recorded a 6.4 percent contribution to the GDP.
The TDGVA refers to the gross value added by tourism industries and other industries of the economy that directly serve visitors.
The PSA said domestic tourism expenditure grew by 72.3 percent, from PHP1.55 trillion in 2022 to PHP2.67 trillion in 2023.
Among forms of tourism expenditures, inbound tourism expenditure, which refers to the expenditure of non-resident visitors within the Philippines, such as foreign visitors and Filipinos permanently residing abroad, posted PHP697.46 billion in 2023.
This is the highest to date and registered an 87.7 percent growth from PHP371.58 billion recorded in 2022.
*********
Bad news coming out of the Philippine National Police (PNP) seems like isolated cases of misbehavior or recalcitrance of some bad eggs in the organization, but a keen observer of political issues such as my friend Jonathan dela Cruz sees even a sinister side to it.
There are just too many of these cases involving policemen in various kinds of criminal activities and administrative failings that there must be a deeper explanation to this. As columnist-writer Mauro Gia. Samonte would say, one has to seize the thread that binds every single event, and you will arrive at the truth, you will understand why these things are happening.
Dela Cruz, a long-time former government official who served in both executive and legislative offices, and now a top Karambolista, said there is finger-pointing and splashing of blame in certain units of the PNP for the sorry state of peace and order in some parts of the country, particularly in the more populous centers as Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila and Calabarzon.
The incidents he cited are the raids and the concomitant events leading to the complete busting of illegal POGO hubs in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga—which looks like just one huge illicit operation.
The responsibility for these illegal activities lies on the shoulders of the Porac and Bamban police and local officials, initially that is. But going further, the responsibility extends to the provincial police directors of Pampanga and Tarlac, and extends further to the Police Regional Director of Region 3 and the governors of the two provinces.
The finger-pointing continues and no one knows when and at what level it would end.
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonColumn ColumnbyDiegoCagahastian #ViewfromCalumpang