Santander to require registration for hotels, resorts

Hotels, resorts and other accommodation establishments based in Santander, Southern Cebu will soon be required to be registered before the municipal government if they want to secure a business permit.

The Cebu Provincial Board ratified the town’s Ordinance 184-2017 during their regular session last Tuesday.

The ordinance, authored by Santander Councilor and Acting Tourism Officer Jesusa Estaño, aims for the mandatory registration of the town’s primary tourism enterprises as a prerequisite for the issuance of a business permit.

Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale, who chairs the PB committee on tourism and international affairs, said she recommended the approval of the municipal ordinance to regulate tourism establishments doing business in the Southern Cebu town.

“By requiring tourism stakeholders to be accredited by the municipal government, the proper and orderly conduct or operation of tourism in the said municipality is ensured,” Magpale said, in her committee report.

In a separate interview, Estaño said she came up with the ordinance due to the municipal gov-

The Tourism Act of 2009 declares a national policy for tourism as an engine of investment, employment, growth and national development.

ernment’s lack of data on tourist arrivals and establishments where they stayed.

Citing Republic Act 9593 or the Tourism Act of 2009, Estaño said accommodation establishments and other establishments catering to tourists should be accredited to ensure that their services are compliant with national laws and are above board.

Estaño said that the accreditation will also help the local government in monitoring these establishments and their guests in case of untoward incidents.

She admitted that while there are 23 accommodation establishments doing business in their town, only half of them report to the municipal government.

Estaño hopes that the ordinance can help them in monitoring these establishments and ensuring that they follow standards set by the state. /