DoT seeks P3.39-B 2025 budget

The Department of Tourism (DoT) is seeking to secure a new appropriation for fiscal year 2025 of P3.394 billion.

Presenting at the House Committee on Appropriations, Tourism Undersecretary Shereen Gail Yu-Pamintuan said the lion's share of P2.84 billion, or 84 percent, is allocated to its Office of the Secretary (OSEC).

Meanwhile, National Parks Development Committee will have an allocation of P384 million, while Intramuros Administration and the Philippine Commission for Sports Scuba Diving will have P146 million and P25 million, respectively.

Discussing the breakdown of the eyed budget agency and allotment class, maintenance and other operating expenses accounted for 68.51 percent.

Moreover, 22.52 percent is dedicated to personal services, while the capital outlay is at almost 9 percent, or about P304 million, which Pamimtuan said pertains to DoT OSEC's Information Systems Strategic Plan for 2025, the vehicle requirements of the smaller agencies, and Intramuros’ solid waste management.

The 2025 national expenditure program is a 6.3 percent reduction in Tourism’s budget allocations compared to this year’s General Appropriations Act, said Pamintuan.

“As mentioned, the total proposed appropriation based on the National Expenditure Program for the DOT-OSEC is  P2.8 billion, where general administration and support will get the bulk of the budget, followed by tourism policy formulation and planning,” said Pamintuan.

She added that the tourism budget compared to the national budget between 2017 and 2024 showed it indicates less than 0.1 percent share of the annual budget. The lowest budget share of DoT was registered last year at only 0.045 percent.