As the country commemorates National Tourism Month this September, a party-list lawmaker called on Congress to pass a bill ensuring that communities get a fair share from tourism revenue.
“Communities deserve to benefit from the flow of tourism within their areas. That’s why it is only right that communities managing tourist sites get their fair share from tourism revenue,” Solid North Party-list Rep. Ching Bernos said.
Bernos is the author of House Bill No. 3110 or the Community-Based Tourism (CBT) bill, which is pending in the tourism committee.
A major provision of her proposal requires the establishment of transparent revenue-sharing mechanisms between LGUs and communities, guaranteeing a minimum 30 percent of net tourism revenues in community-managed sites to be allocated to the community for re-investing.
Bernos cited the need for CBT in the country, which she said would help ensure that policies are not “disconnected” from local realities.
HBN 3110 also seeks to institutionalize CBT by integrating it into national and local tourism planning, policy, and governance.
It also provides for the creation of a Community-Based Tourism Support Program under the Department of Tourism to provide grants, technical assistance, accreditation, and capacity-building services for community-led tourism enterprises.
Bernos cited the need for CBT in the country, which she said would help ensure that policies are not “disconnected” from local realities.
“A focus on CBT means we develop policies from the ground up, taking into account not only the specific tourist sites but also the people who will be tasked with managing them.”
“A CBT approach is anchored on the principle that tourism should empower our communities. Makakapag-focus tayo sa capacity building, at mabibigyan natin ang mga komunidad ng dagdag na kakayahan na mapabuti ang kanilang kaalaman, pasilidad, atbp.,” the lawmaker said.
