DoT to accredit NCR tour establishments

THE Deparment of Tourism (DoT) is set to accredit tourism facilities and services in the National Capital Region (NCR) as part of the government’s massive Manila Bay rehabilitation program.

The DoT said on Friday it would conduct the accreditation in NCR from February 18 to 22 and on February 26 and 27.

For its part, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered local government units to ensure primary tourism enterprises ( PTEs) under their respective jurisdiction undergo accreditation.

In its Memorandum Circular 2019-17, the DILG reiterated the implementing rules and regulations of the Tourism Act of 2009, requiring tourism enterprises to secure accreditation from the DoT to be allowed to operate.

“LGUs (local government units) have to ensure that all PTEs have complied with and have obtained DoT accreditation before operations,” it said.

As of December 31, a total of 6,108 primary tourism enterprises and 772 secondary tourism enterprises were accredited nationwide.

Primary establishments include hotels, tour transport operators, tourism frontliners, and travel and tour agencies; while secondary establishments include hospitals, spas, restaurants, museums and others.

Jose Clemente 3rd, Tourism Congress of the Philippines ( TCP) president, said members of the private tourism sector were directed to begin evaluating their properties in terms of compliance with environmental regulations and laws.

“We have to be proactive in the government’s drive, so they won’t be caught flat-footed,” he said.

Clemente said DoT and the TCP would ensure that accredited tourism establishments nationwide would “conform with the highest standard of environmental conservation.”

DoT is also eyeing, after NCR, to accredit PTEs in Central Luzon and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon).