Press Release - Lapid: Tourism eases unemployment woes

Senator Lito Lapid on Thursday attended the 25th National Convention of the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) coinciding with its Silver Anniversary Celebration held in Koronadal South Cotabato.

Lapid was accompanied by his son Mark, Chief Operating Officer of Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and ATOP National President Junel Ann Divinagracia during the awarding ceremonies.

The awardees are Cooperative of Womens in Health and Development COWHED in Lake Sebu and Fu Yabing Dulo Community in Sitio Amgoo, Polomolok, received P50,000 each as financial assistance from ATOP.

Lapid, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Tourism expressed belief that tourism could help solve the unemployment problem of the country.

"Aside from supporting One Town, One Product Philippines Act of 2022, I am also pushing for the promotion of tourism, under Republic Act 9593 of 2009, in rural areas so that more Filipinos would be employed.

More than 1,200 delegates from all over the country attended the convention which would culminate on Saturday, October 12, 2024.

ATOP, in its Facebook page, declared the convention as a Silver Year Celebration "that represents a significant milestone in the journey towards promoting peaceful societies through tourism initiatives."

South Cotabato, as a tourism hotspot, showcases not only culture and the arts, but also the peace, security, and opportunities on the island.

The tourism industry in the country plyaed an important role as a pillar of growth and economic recovery post-pandemic as it recorded 6.21 million employment for Filipinos in 2023, an exponential increase nearing its 6.3 million target employment in tourism for 2028 or almost four years ahead, as cited on the approved National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2023-2028.

This was based on the recent Philippine Tourism Satellite Account (PTSA) of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Specifically, employment in tourism characteristic industries grew by 6.4 percent, from 5.84 million in 2022 to 6.21 million in 2023. The percentage share of employment in tourism industries to the total employment in the country last year was also recorded