To help boost the economy, President Rodrigo Duterte has said during his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) yesterday that the tourism industry needs all the help it can get. Traveling locally will help it recover faster.
“The tourism and recreation industries, which are among the hardest hit by the pandemic, count on our full support... We enjoin our people to help boost the economy by traveling locally once the necessary systems are in place,” said the President.
In 2019, the tourism industry has contributed to 12% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), and has provided 5.71-million jobs to Filipinos. At present, tourism operations are only allowed at half the capacity in areas under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), subject to the LGUs' approval.
The first destination to reopen amid the new normal is the world-renowned Boracay Island, but only to tourists from Western Visayas.
While several provinces have already shifted to MGCQ and are technically allowed to accept leisure travelers, a number of destinations remain closed to tourists pending guidelines issued by their respective LGUs.
It is safe to say that motorcycle riders play a big part in the country’s tourism. Not only that, with a motorcycle, travel expenses are generally cheaper compared to those driving their cars. It is also more fun to travel on a motorcycle.
Source: Philippine News Agency
