Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco on Monday expressed the Department of Tourism’s (DoT) full support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call to generate quality jobs as a pathway to end poverty and hunger, affirming tourism’s central role in economic recovery and inclusive growth.

“We are deeply grateful that the President once again recognized tourism as a key sector in uplifting Filipino lives through tourism employment and livelihood,” Frasco said, following the President’s fourth State of the Nation Address.

Frasco said tourism has grown into a major economic pillar under the Marcos administration, currently employing 6.75 million Filipinos — equivalent to 13.83 percent of the national workforce. Another 10 million benefit from the sector through indirect jobs, she added.

“Through programs and policies that prioritize the people’s welfare, tourism has empowered communities and created meaningful employment,” Frasco said.

The DoT chief also noted that internal tourism spending reached P3.86 trillion in 2024 — 13.12 percent higher than the P3.41 trillion in 2023 and already surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

In line with the President’s vision, Frasco outlined ongoing collaborations with other agencies to ensure inclusive and sustainable gains in the sector. These include partnerships with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for tourism frontliners’ social protection during disasters, the Department of Trade and Industry and Small Business Corporation for MSME support via Turismo Asenso loans, and the Department of Migrant Workers for the Balik Bayani sa Turismo program, which helps returning OFWs reintegrate into the local tourism workforce.

She also underscored efforts to strengthen the industry’s talent pool through programs such as the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) and the Tourism Industry Skills Program (TISP), which have trained over 358,000 workers to date.

“With the President’s call to find opportunities for the remaining four percent of the labor force, tourism stands ready to help meet that challenge,” Frasco said.

She welcomed the President’s support for emerging industries such as Halal tourism and praised his push to improve infrastructure, climate resiliency, and peace and security — all of which are essential to enhancing the travel experience for both domestic and international visitors.