The House of Representatives unanimously approved on third and final reading House Bill 7510, which seeks to require the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) to print postage stamps depicting the country’s tourist attractions and destinations.
The bill requires the printing of postage stamps depicting the country’s tourist attractions and destinations.
All 230 members present during the voting gave their approval for the proposed “Philippine Tourism Stamps Act” principally authored by Rep. Eric Olivarez.
HB 7510 tasks the PHLPost to enlist the assistance of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Tourism Promotion Board (TPB) in the identification, illustration and labeling of the tourist attractions and destinations to be depicted in the postage stamps.
Meanwhile, the DOT and the TPB shall assist the PHLPost in the preparation of posters and other promotional materials to be displayed in strategic places in the Philippines and in foreign countries, in support of the promotional drive to elicit interest in the Philippines as a major and world-class tourism destination.
Olivarez said that to further accelerate the tourism promotion efforts using the campaign slogan “It’s more Fun in the Philippines”, there is a need to make known the existence of the famous tourist destinations in the country and whet foreigners’ appetite about the extraordinary beauty of these Philippine tourist spots.
“This we can do by means of postage stamps affixed on outgoing mail especially to foreign destinations. These postage stamps will depict the tourist areas in the country and advertise the beautiful spots to these foreign potential tourists without extra cost for the government,” said Olivarez.
The bill is co-authored by Reps. Ricardo Belmonte and Michelle Antonio, among others.