A PROPOSED law has been filed in the Parliament of Bangsamoro, an autonomous region in southern Philippines, to create a separate ministry for tourism, which is currently grouped with the trade and investment sectors.
“The bill seeks to establish a separate ministry for tourism by dividing the Ministry of Trade, Investments, and Tourism (MTIT) into two ministries: the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Trade and Industry,” Parliament Member Amir S. Mawallil, who authored the measure, said in a statement on Wednesday.
He said Parliament Bill No. 13, or An Act Creating the Ministry of Tourism, aims to bring focus to a sector that could generate employment and contribute to the region’s economic development.
“Under this proposed measure, the Ministry of Tourism shall be the agency responsible for encouraging, promoting, and developing tourism as a major socio-economic activity to generate revenue and employment, as well as spreading the benefits of tourism across a wider segment of the Bangsamoro population,” Mr. Mawallil said.
He noted that the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) offers unique attractions given its pristine land and sea resources, and cultural diversity.
The lawmaker said having an agency dedicated to tourism will help ensure that these sites will be sustainably developed.
He also cited that the region’s proximity to the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area provides an added incentive to tourism investors. — MSJ