Senator Christopher “Bong” Go expressed his full support for the Department of Tourism (DoT) budget, stressing the sector’s vital role in economic recovery, job creation and promoting Filipino culture.

Speaking at the Senate budget hearing, Go, who is vice chair of the Senate Finance Committee, called tourism a “great source of pride for the Philippines” and a key growth driver.

“As we all know, tourism plays a vital role in boosting the economy,” he said, adding that the country is “moving forward towards recovery and is now ready to share the beauty and wonders of our country to the rest of the world.”

The senator commended the DoT’s efforts to revive tourism through creative campaigns. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Go also highlighted the growing potential of sports tourism.

He cited the successful hosting of major international events like the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the ongoing FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship as examples of how sporting events stimulate the economy.

“The FIBA World Cup was beneficial to our country economically,” he cited, referring to the large number of visitors drawn by the events. “Many tourists are also coming to our country to watch the sports competitions, which is a big help to our economy.”

DoT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco confirmed that sports tourism is a key priority, noting the agency has established an Office of Film and Sports Tourism to institutionalize the sector.

She said the DoT is actively preparing for the upcoming FIFA Women’s Futsal World Championship and is working to sign a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Sports Commission to form an inter-agency task force for better coordination on future events. Frasco also reported that tourism generates 9 million to 16.5 million direct and indirect jobs annually.

To expand livelihood, the DoT is partnering with the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) for “Turismo Asenso” job fairs and with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for skills training.

The DoT, along with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Small Business Corporation (SB Corp.), also offers “Turismo Asenso” loans ranging from P3 million to P20 million at low interest rates to support small businesses.

Go also raised the issue of high domestic airline ticket prices, which he said sometimes cost more than international flights. He asked Frasco what coordination the DoT has done with the Department of Transportation.

Frasco acknowledged the concern, citing a previous meeting with airline representatives where the DoT raised strong objections to what it viewed as overpriced tickets. She noted that after the meeting, some pricing categories were reportedly removed, and Philippine Airlines placed a cap on fares to Siargao.

Frasco explained that runway limitations also contribute to high costs by restricting the size of aircraft and limiting economies of scale. To improve transparency and curb excessive prices, the DoT has asked the Civil Aeronautics Board to publish a monthly airline ticket price index and urged the DoTr to extend runways and upgrade terminals.