PASADO na sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa ng Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso ang House Bill 8981 o ang panukalang “Tourist Protection and Assistance Act”, na naglalayong matutukan ang pangangalaga at masiguro ang kaligtasan ng mga turista sa bansa.
Sa pagsalang sa plenary voting kamakailan, lahat ng 158 na kongresistang dumalo sa kanilang sesyon ang pumabor para ganap na aprubahan ang nasabing proposed measure.
Ang HB 8981 ay pangunahing iniakda nina Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 2nd Dist. Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, 1st. Dist. Rizal Rep. John Michael “Jack” Duavit, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco at mga iba pa.
Nakapaloob sa panukalang ito ang pagbubuo ng “Tourist Protection and Assistance Task Force” o “Task Force” na siyang responsable para sa “protection and assistance” kapwa ng mga lokal at dayuhang turista.
“There is a need for the government to adopt and implement an integrated approach in tourism development to realize its full potential as an important economic tool necessary for national development.” Ang nakasaad sa explanatory note ni Arroyo bilang isa sa principal authors.
“The tourism industry has been branded as an ‘engine of economic growth’ given its capacity to boost and jumpstart any economy especially countries like the Philippines,” sabi pa ng former president, ngayon ay Pampanga lady solon.
Hindi umano kaila na ang tourism industry ay patuloy na nakapag-aambag ng malaki sa ekonomiya, isa ring source ng foreign exchange earnings, nakapaglilikha ng mga trabaho sa bansa at bahagi nang pagsusulong ng international goodwill.
“At the same time, it highlights and makes known to the international community of the rich and colorful socio-cultural life of the Filipinos,” dagdag ni Arroyo.
Kabilang sa magiging tungkulin ng ‘Task Force’ ang pagkakaroon ng ‘uniform standards’ sa signages na ilalagay sa lahat ng tourism facilities and destinations, kabilang ang airports, seaports, land border crossings, highways, at bus, train, at iba pang public transit locations.
Ito rin ang magiging responsable sa paggawa at pamimigay ng ‘multilingual travel and tourism information and promotional materials’ at pagkakaroon ng isang ‘toll-free telephone assistance system’ na minamandohan ng ‘multilingual operators’.
Kinakailangan ding makipag-coordinate sa mga LGU ang ‘Task Force’ sa paglalagay ng ‘tourist help desks’ sa lahat ng ‘tourist destinations and institutions’.
Ang secretary ng Department of Tourism (DOT) o duly designated representative nito ang tatayong Chairperson at ang kalihim naman ng Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) o itatalagang kinatawan niya ang magiging Vice Chairperson ng inter-governmental unit na ito
“Members to the Task Force shall be composed of the Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) or the duly designate representative; Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) or the duly designated representative; Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the duly designated representative; Director General of the Philippine National Police (PNP) or the duly designated representative; a representative from the Road Board of the Philippines; and such other representatives of other government agencies and private sector entities as may be determined by the Chairperson to be appropriate to the mission of the Task Force.” Ayon pa sa nilalaman ng HB 8981. ROMER R. BUTUYAN
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