The government has embarked on infrastructure development, including digitalization and enhancing internet connectivity, to further boost tourism and gain back grounds lost during the pandemic.
In the paper titled 7,641 Reasons to Love the Philippines, a special publication of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, it acknowledged the challenges involved in boosting the tourism industry to its pre-pandemic heights despite the promising traveler numbers.
“For a country like the Philippines, addressing the challenges for infrastructure development is a tough nut to crack,” it said.
In line with the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) goal to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) through a public-private partnership agreement, the agency opened the bidding and has already received proposals for its upgrade.
The improvement of the NAIA and its facilities, including its runways and four terminals, aims to upgrade the current annual airport capacity to at least 62 million passengers from 35 million and increase air traffic movement to 48 per hour from 40.
The paper noted projections of a gradual recovery of domestic and international travel in the Asia Pacific region by 2026, and that the tourism industry continues to forge ahead, bolstered by the growing aviation sector.
“The availability of an increasing number of direct flights and services to the Philippines has been instrumental in this growth,” it said.
The paper particularly cited United Airlines that launched daily flights between Manila and San Francisco by the fourth quarter of 2023, and ZIPAIR Tokyo Co. that marked its highly anticipated debut in the Philippines in July.
The publication said regional airports are also being beefed up as the Department of Transportation speeds up public-private partnership projects in nine regional airports that include the Laguindingan, Bohol-Panglao, Bicol International Airport, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa, Davao, Bacolod and Kalibo airports.
“The government is not only focused on improving air travel; plans are also underway to ensure connectivity by land travel,” it said.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was recently allocated with P13.97 billion in funds to build access roads and bridges in declared tourism destinations under a convergence program with the Department of Tourism (DOT).
Already 158 kilometers of roads leading to tourist destinations had been constructed. Among those completed or rehabilitated roads are in Pangasinan, Negros Occidental, Occidental Mindoro and other provinces.
At the American Chamber’s podcast show, public works undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral bared big ticket projects, including the TPLEX (Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway) Extension (Up to Ilocos Sur), SLEX (South Luzon Expressway) Extension (Up to Quezon for Phase 2, then up to Sorsogon for Phase 3), while the Sorsogon-Samar Bridge and Bataan-Cavite Bridge are now on the drawing boards.
The tourism blueprints extend its coverage beyond infrastructure development to include robust emphasis on enhancing internet connectivity and digitalization.
The DOT and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) have signed an agreement that paved the way for improved internet connectivity in tourism spots. Forty-six destinations were already powered up, while work for the remaining 48 areas continued.
Launched in August, DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy earlier said the Philippine e-visa system aims to resolve administrative hurdles and facilitate the advancement of the country’s tourism agenda.
The improvement of tourism infrastructure and accessibility, and cohesive and comprehensive digitalization and connectivity are among the seven strategic goals under the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2023-2028.
Other strategic goals include enhancement of overall tourist experience; equalization of tourism product development and promotion; diversification of the tourism portfolio through multidimensional tourism; maximization of domestic and international tourism; and strengthening tourism governance through close collaborations with national and local stakeholders.
