A BILL creating an intergovernmental task force to protect tourists has made it past second reading at the House of Representatives.
House Bill No. 8981, or the “Tourist Protection and Assistance Act,” which passed via voice vote, proposed to form a task force to impose measures “to protect and assist local and foreign tourists.”
If enacted, the bill, sponsored by Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, will authorize the Department of Tourism (DoT) to establish the Tourist Protection and Assistance Task Force and designate the Tourism Secretary as its chairperson.
The Task Force will also include the Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Transportation, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Justice, the Philippine National Police as well as representatives from the private sector.
Among others, it will be the Task Force’s duty, in coordination with other agencies, to ensure the adoption of a uniform standard on signage throughout the country.
The measure provides for standardized signage in airports, seaports, land border crossings, highways and public utility vehicles and also requires the distribution of multilingual travel and tourism information and promotional materials.
The bill also proposes to establish a toll-free telephone assistance center with multilingual operators.
The Task Force, in partnership with local government units (LGUs), will also establish tourist help desks and impose measures to prevent the harassment of tourists.
The creation of the Task Force and its operation will be funded by DoT appropriations and LGUs’ internal revenue allotments. — Charmaine A. Tadalan
