Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco revealed that all ministers of the 11-member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are united to promote regional connectivity to boost tourism further within the regional bloc. “We have successfully concluded all tourism ministers’ meetings, and we are very encouraged that there was a loud support for regional connectivity. This means that ASEAN will have the chance to have a multi-country collaboration in connectivity. The Philippines will have the opportunity for expansion in terms of route development, of course, that begins in our existing gateways, such as Manila, Cebu, Bohol, Davao, Iloilo. We hope to expand that in other cities as well in the ASEAN,” said Secretary Frasco in an ambush interview during the final day of the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2026 at the NUSTAR Resort and Casino in Cebu City on Friday. Frasco said for Cebu alone, it already has 13 additional routes, mostly within the ASEAN Region, while at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, 23 international routes were also added. “So, what we can expect from our agreements is that mas dadami pa ang mga flights across the intra-ASEAN region,” she said. Frasco said that in attaining this, it’s inevitable that there will be challenges along the way, particularly in infrastructure projects such as airports. “But we are just thankful that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is a huge proponent of PPP (public-private-partnership) because this is really allowing our destinations to be elevated in terms of access. For example, the privatization of NAIA strengthened its capacity. The same for Cebu and Bohol, which have also been privatized. From what I know, the Department of Transportation has plans to privatize the Laguindingan Airport, the gateway to Mindanao, as well as Puerto Princesa and Iloilo airports,” she said. “This is exciting because with improved connectivity, the tourist experience and higher capacities, we will achieve more flights direct to our destinations,” she added. Frasco’s utterance was part of the various results of the 29th Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers that happened during the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2026 in Cebu City. “The Meeting commended ongoing collaboration between the tourism and transport sectors, including joint efforts under the Ad-Hoc Task Force on Tourism and Transport to address connectivity gaps, improve access to emerging destinations, and strengthen joint promotional activities. The Meeting encouraged continued collaboration with relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies, Dialogue Partners, and industry stakeholders to advance integrated connectivity and promote multi-modal travel solutions,” Frasco, the ATF chairperson, said in a separate press conference on Friday, reading the Joint Media Statement of the ASEAN Ministers. Also, Frasco relayed the ASEAN tourism sector’s positive recovery, stating that ASEAN recorded approximately 144 million international visitor arrivals in 2025, according to preliminary figures. “This reflects a sustained upward trend supported by measures to enhance connectivity, diversify tourism offerings, and strengthen marketing and promotional efforts,” according to Frasco. (RAFFY AYENG)