Monday 16 July 2012

PIA News Dispatch - Friday, July 13, 2012


Aquino cites tourism as country's engine of growth

In keeping with his commitment to boost the Philippine tourism, President Benigno S. Aquino III said his administration has made good progress in the tourism sector to revitalize the country's socio-economic growth.

In his speech during the courtesy call of the 7th North American Ambassadors, Consuls General and Tourism Directors Tour (ACGTDT) held at the Rizal Hall in Malacanang on Friday, President Aquino said his administration has undergone major institutional changes to effectively and efficiently implement the national policy for tourism as a key driver towards achieving rapid, inclusive, and sustained socio-economic growth for the country.
"Tourism is one of the sectors we are paying particular attention to, because it is one in which we can successfully pursue our agenda of inclusive growth, given the multiplier effect on jobs and the amount of money it brings into our country," the President said.

With public support, President Aquino said the government succeeded to generate renewed interest and injected vibrancy in the country's tourism.

"Our achievements in this sector are real and tangible. Just to give you an idea, in the first five months of 2012 alone, we welcomed over 1.8 million tourists. This number is more than half of the yearly average of three million arrivals in the years before we took office," he said.

"This number is also 39.6 percent of the 4.6 million tourist arrivals we hope to get this year—and historically, we get even more visitors in the second half of the year. If all goes as planned, it seems that we will achieve, and maybe even breach this target," the President said.

The Chief Executive cited several programs and projects that inevitably contribute to sustaining the momentum of the efforts of both the public and private sectors to boost the country's tourism industry.

"The success we have experienced so far is no miracle; it is a success borne out of the hard work and dedication, the convergence of public and private sector efforts, and the implementation of measures that make the most of what we have to offer. We didn’t reinvent the wheel here; we just relied on a simple strategy: to make it easier and more fun for tourists to come to the Philippines," he said.

"For starters, our Pocket Open Skies Policy has already generated almost a 15-percent increase in incoming and outgoing flights to the Philippines from January to June of this year. This has led to a similar increase in inbound and outbound passenger traffic growth for both international and domestic travelers," he said.

The Chief Executive said the government has put a lot of work towards improving the country's infrastructure in support of tourism, including airports and seaports. He said the Department of Public Works and Highways has allocated P9.4 billion in 2011 and 2012 to construct, rehabilitate, and improve roads leading to all of our tourist destinations.

"Their (department's) effort are complemented by those of our Department of Transportation and Communications, which focused our attention on upgrading primary and secondary airports, as well as enhancing our air traffic control systems," he said.

"One of the infrastructure projects that I am really very excited to inaugurate—and this will happen perhaps, the latest, by 2015—is a connector for the North Luzon and South Luzon Expressways. Once established, and we will not have one, we will actually have two, and these are all private efforts. Once that is done, the travel time from Clark in Pampanga to Calamba in Laguna will be reduced to about an hour and fifteen minutes," he said.

The President said there is a proposal for a new nautical highway which will bring down travel time from Luzon to Mindanao from the current three days to fifteen hours.

During the event, the President reiterated his government's economic achievements.

"Wise spending has allowed us to help our countrymen more by improving and strengthening healthcare, education, and social services. Philippine economic growth, at 6.4 percent in the first quarter, has surpassed the expectations of most if not all analysts," he said.

"According to the SWS Social Weather Report for the Second Quarter of 2012, the Philippines’ unemployment rate went down to 26.6 percent in May, or the equivalent of 10.9 million adults unemployed—and this is significantly lower than the 34.4 percent unemployment rate in March, or 13.8 million unemployed. Of course, it is a private entity, the government figures are much better," he said.

He said the self-rated hunger for the whole country went down to 18.4 percent in May, compared to 23.8 percent in March.

"Our efforts to boost our economy—by spending on infrastructure and other key sectors—are matched by our spending on social services, to the tune of 567.9 billion pesos, or around 31 percent of our entire budget for this year," he said. (js)


Aquino receives delegates to the 7th North American Ambassadors, Consuls General and Tourism Directors Tour in Malacanang

President Benigno S. Aquino III received the 7th North American Ambassadors, Consuls General and Tourism Directors Tour (ACGTDT) delegates following the launching of the "It's More Fun in the Philippines" Program.

In a courtesy call at the Rizal Hall of Malacanang Palace on Friday, President Aquino met with the ACGTDT delegates from the United States of America (USA) and Canada. Also in attendance was Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Philippine Embassies and Consulates General in the US and Canada opened the 7th North American Ambassadors, Consuls General and Tourism Directors Tour (ACGTDT) last Wednesday with the "It's More Fun in the Philippines" Program.

The ACGTDT is being undertaken by the Philippine government in cooperation with Raja Tours, Inc., the designated program ground handler. The ACGTDT event ends on July 14.

Since its inception in 2005 by then Philippine Ambassador to the United States and now Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, the ACGTDT has provided a vehicle for Filipinos, Filipino-Americans, Filipino-Canadians and non-Filipinos from all over the US and Canada to experience a truly unique tourism experience in the Philippines.

Featuring a program which allows tour delegates to re-connect, re-visit and discover the many attractions the Philippines has to offer, the ACGTDT has become the most anticipated government's tourism initiative in North America, designed to encourage both Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike to visit the country.

This year's edition of the ACGTDT came on the heels of the launch of the "It's More Fun in the Philippines' campaign" to boost the country's tourism.

During the courtesy call, President Aquino thanked the ACGTDT for its support to the government's tourism initiative.

"I have always believed that each Filipino is an ambassador of his country, and perhaps this is true especially for many of you gathered here today. You may have built new lives and found your places in new communities, but you also continue to maintain strong ties to the motherland," he said.

The Chief Executive asked the ACGTDT delegates to continue supporting Philippine tourism. "This is where I would once again like to ask for your help. Our Department of Tourism has already done much through its new campaign of “It’s more fun in the Philippines,” which has been launched in different countries. In fact, your tour has adopted this as its theme; and I can think of no better group to travel under the DOT’s campaign than yours," he said. (js)


Palace hopes for Senate approval of defense treaty with Australia

Malacanang said it hopes that the Philippine Senate concurs with the Philippine-Australia Visiting Forces Agreement saying the country could gain a lot in the mutual defense cooperation with Australia.

In a press briefing at Malacanang on Friday, Secretary Ramon Carandang of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) said Australia has already ratified the treaty and there is no way the agreement can be revised at this time.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago has opposed the approval of the Senate’s concurrence with President Benigno Aquino III’s ratification of the agreement stressing that the defense treaty is vague and open-ended.

“I think what’s important is -- Is it going to be significant in terms of our security configuration and our security means? Do we need the assistance? Is it in our benefit that it enhances our mutual security? And I think the answer to those questions would be Yes,” Carandang said.

“And we are hoping that the Senate can pass and ratify the agreement with Australia at the soonest possible time.”

Asked by reporters if the Aquino administration will look into similar defense treaties with other countries, Carandang said it would not necessarily be visiting a forces agreement or defense treaties but certain levels of cooperation with different countries.

Depending on the country’s needs and the mutuality of its requirements, the Philippines can enter into different types of agreement with other countries, he continued.

“Not necessarily DFA or treaties, it could be simply supply contracts, or it could simply be joint exercises. There’s a whole range of activities that we can undertake with different countries,” he explained. (as/2:14pm)