ILOILO – The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) is set to approve on third and final reading today the proposed provincial ordinance mandating local government units (LGUs) to conduct tourism, cultural heritage and property identification, and data collection.
Fifth District Provincial Board member Binky Tupas authored the proposed ordinance.
She said LGUs need to identify and collect data on their respective localities’ tourism, cultural heritage and properties for their protection and preservation.
“Kon i-mapping naton ang aton nga tourism area, tourism enterprises, and cultural heritage and properties, masunod naman ang aton ordinance on how to conserve it kag in the future ma-promote gid ang aton tourism,” said Tupas, SP chair on committee on culture, arts, history and tourism.
She emphasized that tourism is one of the economic drivers of the province, especially in northern Iloilo where tourism has big potentials.
“The pandemic has significantly affected tourism in the province and there is a need to set up stronger and better statistical reporting in the tourism sector – starting with the identification, collection, monitoring, and reporting of tourism areas, tourism enterprises, and local heritage and cultural properties,” read part of the proposed ordinance.
It added: “The enactment of this ordinance will mandate the LGUs to conduct their identification, collection, monitoring and reporting of tourism areas, tourism enterprises, and local heritage and cultural properties that will be collated by the Iloilo Provincial Tourism Office to support the updating of tourism development plans, programs, and projects in the revival, protection, and promotion of the tourist sector in the province.”
Under the proposed ordinance, the following are the functions of each LGU and the Iloilo Provincial Tourism Office.
* Each LGU, through its tourism officer, is tasked with conducting the necessary identification, monitoring, and data collection of tourism areas, tourism enterprises, and local cultural heritage and properties annually.
* In case the LGU does not have a tourism officer, the local chief executive shall designate a tourism focal person.
* The tourism officer or focal person shall serve as the responsible personnel for the implementation of the ordinance.
* The Iloilo Provincial Tourism Office shall prepare the necessary forms for effective and efficient data reporting of the identified and data-collected tourism areas, tourism enterprises, and local cultural heritage and properties.
* The submission of reports by each LGU to the Iloilo Provincial Tourism Office shall be on the fifth day after each reference quarter. The final consolidated report for each year shall be submitted on or before the second Monday of November.
The provincial government shall set aside P4 million from the annual budget of the current year and the year thereafter for three years for the initial implementation.
The Iloilo Provincial Tourism Office, meanwhile, will spearhead all training activities, including the identification and procurement of the necessary logistical and technological requirements./PN
