Former Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri is spearheading a call for a dedicated Cabinet cluster to address the challenges facing the Philippine tourism industry. His focus is on revitalizing the country’s most popular tourist destinations, including Siargao and Palawan, which he considers the nation’s “crown jewels.”
During a recent budget hearing with the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), Zubiri proposed the creation of this tourism-focused cluster. He drew inspiration from President Bongbong Marcos Jr.’s approval of an education cluster, an initiative spearheaded by Education Secretary Sonny Angara.
Zubiri highlighted the urgent need to tackle issues plaguing the country’s top tourist spots, particularly citing Siargao’s ongoing energy supply problems. He witnessed firsthand the prolonged power outages affecting the island during a visit just weeks ago.
“Why not establish a tourism cluster similar to the education cluster initiated by Secretary Angara?” Zubiri suggested. “We could have the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and Department of Energy (DOE) work together to support major tourist destinations like Palawan, El Nido, Coron, and Siargao.”
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan responded to Zubiri’s query by highlighting the tourism sector’s significant contribution to the Philippine economy. In 2023, tourism generated PHP 2.09 trillion, accounting for 8.6% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, Zubiri believes that with focused resources and strategic initiatives, this contribution could more than double.
He emphasized the need for increased direct flights from Europe to the Philippines to attract more tourists, noting that neighboring countries are successfully drawing in larger numbers. Drawing on his recent experience in Siargao, Zubiri called for a comprehensive tourism master plan to address infrastructure issues across the country’s most popular tourist spots.
Citing the success of the education cluster, Zubiri urged the President’s economic team to recommend the creation of a tourism-focused Cabinet cluster to President Marcos Jr. “I’m informing the finance team because this requires a whole-of-government approach,” Zubiri emphasized. “We all need to support the DOT through this kind of convergence. Perhaps you could encourage the President to consider this initiative.”
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto agreed with Zubiri’s proposal, highlighting the tourism industry’s potential as a “low-hanging fruit” that could significantly boost the country’s GDP with the right investment.
