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| Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco |
DOT Chief proposes 24/7 tourist courts in the Philippines
Department
of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco has proposed the
establishment of a new flagship project, the 24/7 tourist courts, to aid in the
swift resolution of cases where tourists are involved.
According
to the secretary, she proposed the matter during the recent sectoral meeting
with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. in Malacañang, where the President
agreed that the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Department of the
Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Justice (DOJ), will
work alongside the DOT to investigate and prosecute crimes related to
tourists.
We are now working with the DOJ, and we will be
collaborating with the judiciary department for the establishment of a 24-hour
tourist court for the resolution of crimes related to our tourists,” the Secretary said
during a briefing for the proposed budget of the DOT for the 2025 fiscal year
held at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Tuesday (Aug. 20).
Secretary
Frasco acknowledged that the Philippines still has room for improvement in
tourism, assuring the body that the Department is doing its best to welcome
more visitors, including lobbying for efforts to increase connectivity by
expanding the country’s routes development system, notwithstanding all varied
tourism offerings that are being offered and those that are yet to be developed
for promotion.
The
DOT is also beefing up police forces across strategic locations of the country,
primarily in areas with a high concentration of tourists.
Over
8,000 police personnel under the Department’s Tourist Oriented Police for
Community Order and Protection (TOPCOP) Program have already been trained, done
in collaboration with the DILG and PNP. But with the need to intensify police
visibility and security, the DOT has also trained 270 barangay tanod and
barangay intelligence network as police multipliers at present.
“Being a [former] mayor nga po, alam natin na hindi naman
enough yung number of police to the actual population, kaya naman po inexpand
natin yung program na ito na isasali na natin sa training yung barangay tanod
and barangay intelligence network multipliers in various areas in the country.
And we are expanding this to various LGUs,” she added.
The
tourism chief emphasized that the DOT is also working with the Department of
National Defense (DND) to strengthen the strategic development of tourism,
especially in key areas of the country.
“Overall, the effort is to build confidence in tourism for
the Philippines,” the
tourism chief said.
As
for the tourist security concerns in Mindanao, the DOT signed a Memorandum of
Agreement (MOA) with the DND and DILG in May last year to open and promote the
region as a peaceful and viable destination for all. The department secretaries
have agreed to promote responsible tourism, preserve the diverse natural and
cultural heritage, and create an inclusive environment that would further
foster growth in Mindanao and the entire country under the current
administration.
According
to the tourism chief, this move from the DOT is crucial to create an
environment that fosters equal tourism opportunities for all regions,
especially in areas that may not have received equal opportunities in the past
brought about by untoward incidents.
Several
embassies have responded positively to the appeal of the DOT to downgrade their
security advisories to their residents in the Philippines who have plans to
visit the region.
As
of August 19, 2024, the Philippines has registered a total of 3,860,730
international visitors who came into the country, of which 92.05 percent or
3,553,720 are foreigners, while the remaining 7.95 percent or 307,010 are
overseas Filipinos.
The
top 10 source markets are South Korea, the United States of America, Japan,
China, Australia, Taiwan, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Malaysia.
DOT Chief proposes 24/7 tourist courts in the Philippines
DOT Chief proposes 24/7 tourist courts in the Philippines
|
| Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco |
DOT Chief proposes 24/7 tourist courts in the Philippines
Department
of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco has proposed the
establishment of a new flagship project, the 24/7 tourist courts, to aid in the
swift resolution of cases where tourists are involved.
According
to the secretary, she proposed the matter during the recent sectoral meeting
with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. in Malacañang, where the President
agreed that the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Department of the
Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Justice (DOJ), will
work alongside the DOT to investigate and prosecute crimes related to
tourists.
We are now working with the DOJ, and we will be
collaborating with the judiciary department for the establishment of a 24-hour
tourist court for the resolution of crimes related to our tourists,” the Secretary said
during a briefing for the proposed budget of the DOT for the 2025 fiscal year
held at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Tuesday (Aug. 20).
Secretary
Frasco acknowledged that the Philippines still has room for improvement in
tourism, assuring the body that the Department is doing its best to welcome
more visitors, including lobbying for efforts to increase connectivity by
expanding the country’s routes development system, notwithstanding all varied
tourism offerings that are being offered and those that are yet to be developed
for promotion.
The
DOT is also beefing up police forces across strategic locations of the country,
primarily in areas with a high concentration of tourists.
Over
8,000 police personnel under the Department’s Tourist Oriented Police for
Community Order and Protection (TOPCOP) Program have already been trained, done
in collaboration with the DILG and PNP. But with the need to intensify police
visibility and security, the DOT has also trained 270 barangay tanod and
barangay intelligence network as police multipliers at present.
“Being a [former] mayor nga po, alam natin na hindi naman
enough yung number of police to the actual population, kaya naman po inexpand
natin yung program na ito na isasali na natin sa training yung barangay tanod
and barangay intelligence network multipliers in various areas in the country.
And we are expanding this to various LGUs,” she added.
The
tourism chief emphasized that the DOT is also working with the Department of
National Defense (DND) to strengthen the strategic development of tourism,
especially in key areas of the country.
“Overall, the effort is to build confidence in tourism for
the Philippines,” the
tourism chief said.
As
for the tourist security concerns in Mindanao, the DOT signed a Memorandum of
Agreement (MOA) with the DND and DILG in May last year to open and promote the
region as a peaceful and viable destination for all. The department secretaries
have agreed to promote responsible tourism, preserve the diverse natural and
cultural heritage, and create an inclusive environment that would further
foster growth in Mindanao and the entire country under the current
administration.
According
to the tourism chief, this move from the DOT is crucial to create an
environment that fosters equal tourism opportunities for all regions,
especially in areas that may not have received equal opportunities in the past
brought about by untoward incidents.
Several
embassies have responded positively to the appeal of the DOT to downgrade their
security advisories to their residents in the Philippines who have plans to
visit the region.
As
of August 19, 2024, the Philippines has registered a total of 3,860,730
international visitors who came into the country, of which 92.05 percent or
3,553,720 are foreigners, while the remaining 7.95 percent or 307,010 are
overseas Filipinos.
The
top 10 source markets are South Korea, the United States of America, Japan,
China, Australia, Taiwan, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Malaysia.
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