DOT unveils Top 15 LGUs to receive P180M funds for ‘Tourism Champions Challenge’

MANILA, Philippines — Fifteen local government units are set to receive a combined amount of P180 million from the Department of Tourism as part of its flagship program, the Tourism Champions Challenge (TCC).

This week, the DOT unveiled the shortlisted 15 LGUs from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, which will receive funds for tourism projects for the winning tourism proposals they submitted.

These are:

Luzon

• Ambaguio, Nueva Vizcaya
• Bolinao, Pangasinan
• Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro
• San Jose, Romblon
• Socorro, Oriental Mindoro

Visayas

• Badian, Cebu
• Panay, Capiz
• Silago, Southern Leyte
• Tubigon, Bohol
• Victorias City, Negros Occidental

Mindanao

• Davao City, Davao del Sur
• Isabela City, Basilan
• Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte
• San Agustin, Surigao del Sur
• Tagum City, Davao del Norte

TCC, launched in February this year, is a nationwide campaign that incentivizes tourism development among cities and municipalities.

Through this challenge, 1,400 member-mayors of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines and more than 100 city mayors were invited to propose tourism projects that would “spur economic development across the country’s regions.” The proposals are also expected to be in line with the current administration’s seven-point tourism agenda.

Related: DOT to pursue set goals for tourism recovery in line with Marcos’ vision

“The National Tourism Development Plan 2023 to 2028 (NTDP) approved by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. acknowledges that in order for our tourism industry to be inclusive and globally competitive, we must closely collaborate with our local government units to hasten the transformation of communities towards tourism excellence,” Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, a former mayor herself, said in a statement.

“The Tourism Champions Challenge is a flagship program of the Marcos Administration with the Department of Tourism and TIEZA (Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority) providing a mechanism for our dedicated and passionate local chief executives to access national government funding to address critical tourism issues, the resolution of which can serve the intention to transform the country into a tourism powerhouse in Asia," she added.

'Overwhelming response'

The DOT said that it received 98 proposals from 90 LGUs in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao from March to May this year. The submitted proposals underwent a rigorous evaluation process facilitated by the 16 DOT Regional Offices and TCC Committee, which ensured fairness and impartiality.

Of the 98 proposals, initial evaluation showed that 41 were compliant and were submitted to the TCC for further assessment.  The LGUs then presented their project proposals and addressed committee queries to aid in the technical review.

Following these processes, they chose five winners each from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

The tourism agency also said that knowledge partner PricewaterhouseCoopers Philippines (PWC) provided expert insight and meticulous scrutiny to the selection process of LGU proposals and helped chose the winners through a second review.

Frasco earlier announced these winners will be ranked according to their relevance and potential contribution to the country’s tourism industry, with the first LGU getting P20 million worth of tourism projects; the second, third, fourth and fifth LGUs will receive P15 million, P10 million, P8 million and P7 million, respectively for a total of P180 million.

The 15 LGUs will participate in capacity-building activity, which aims to enhance their capability in project development and management, and improve the technical content of the proposal through a series of lectures, discussions, workshops and presentations. 

They will officially be awarded the fund upon the approval of the TIEZA Board through the official signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the said LGUs, DOT and TIEZA, for the swift facilitation of the project inauguration, leading to the turnover of the implemented project to the LGU. 

Tourism governance

The tourism chief said that the TCC campaign echoes Marcos administration’s commitment to shared tourism governance between LGUs, the national government and tourism stakeholder.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last year expressed optimism that the tourism industry can become one of the country’s major economic pillars after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As we pursue our plans and programs under the NTDP, the DOT commits to continuing a whole-of-nation approach to tourism, with optimism that the genuine love that all of us have for the Philippines can spur a unified approach towards tourism governance," Frasco said.