DoT Sec honors Filipino tour guides, vows to push for Magna Carta for Tourism Workers

Cebu City- As the Department of Tourism (DOT) convened regional and community tour guides from all over the Philippines for the first time in a summit, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco conveyed a heartfelt message, emphasizing the crucial role of tour guides in the country’s tourism sector.

“Your contribution to tourism should never be undervalued. The time for that has come to an end. The time to give tourism its due is now. Atong hatagan sa igo nga recognition ang turismo tungod kini ang nakahatag ug dako kaayong abilidad sa atong ekonomiya. And our tour guides are front and center in ensuring that tourism fuels the economy of the Philippines,” she said in a mix of Bisaya and English.

“As I went around the country and met our many passionate tour guides across our destinations, I made an observation that perhaps there could be things that they can use to allow them to do their job in the best manner possible. Where they did not have protection from the sun and lacked tour guide kits—simple things which I hope have made some kind of impact,” she said.

To further highlight the importance of this sector, she announced before hundreds of tour guides attending the summit the DOT’s initiative to craft the proposed Magna Carta for Tourism Workers, which is part of a larger larger vision to offer not only immediate aid but long-term protection for tour guide, and most importantly, institutionalize security, dignity, and rights for those at the frontline of Philippine tourism.

The tourism chief said this will be done in consultation with the concerned sectors.

“My beloved tour guides, my time as your Secretary will one day come to an end. Our President’s term will end in less than three years. But when history looks back at this time that we’ve had together, I sincerely hope, and let it be said, that this was the time when our tour guides were finally given their rightful place in Philippine tourism. And so I will leave you with this: As long as there are tour guides to tell our stories, the Philippines will never lose its voice. As long as there are tour guides to welcome the world, the Philippines will never lose its heart. And as long as there are tour guides who love our islands, the Philippines will never lose its soul. Dagang salamat sa inyong gugma ug pagserbisyo,” the Secretary concluded with a heartfelt message.

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