BALER, Philippines — The government aims to lure millions more international tourists to the country by 2016 to create more jobs and reduce the unemployment rate, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said here on Monday.
Jimenez, who was the guest of honor at the 115th anniversary of the Siege of Baler and the commemoration of the 12th Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day here, did not cite tourist figures but said they would create 6.8 million jobs, representing about 17 percent of the national employment target.
“We believe tourism is the shortest path to inclusive growth. Tourism provides jobs, spurs businesses and connects many industries,” he said in a speech following a wreath-laying ceremony at the town palaza here.
The Department of Tourism last February reported 4,681,307 tourist arrivals in 2013. For the first four months of this year, 1,696,537 foreign visitors came to the country based on arrival and other entry records.
Jimenez said that on domestic tourism, the DOT has twice revised its figures, from 35 million domestic travelers, which was reached in 2012, to 56 million by 2016.
“We believe in [tourism’s] contribution to achieving advances in our economic goals for it is truly, truly the business of the people,” he said.
Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. FILE PHOTO
Jimenez said the government was spending more money on tourism infrastructure and marketing in an effort to attract more foreign visitors to the country.
This was “a stance, I’m sure, our Spanish friends would approve of,” Jimenez said, addressing the Spanish delegation at the rites led by Spanish Charge d’Affaires Ignacio Perez Cambra.
Jimenez said the annual celebration of Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day had brought the two countries together again as partners and allies in “a very special way.”
The law declaring Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day was signed in 2003 after then Sen. Edgardo Angara filed a bill in 2002.
“Finally, after so many years, Spain and the Philippines are about to embark on a journey to which once again Spain has much to contribute — that is in tourism development,” Jimenez said.
“In my view, as the world’s most accomplished tourism nation, Spain has achieved a level of preparedness and consistency of quality that is the envy of all nations. To be a tourist in Spain is to be part of one of the most rewarding activities,” he said.
Jimenez said it was also “an exciting time” for the Philippines and Spain to renew their friendship in this town, where both nations learned valuable lessons.
“It has been said more than once that the quality of a nation’s future is measured not merely by the number of its achievements but by the quality of its memories,” he said.
“Today, we remember it was not just the Filipinos who loved Baler. The Spaniards loved Baler, too. The Spaniards loved Baler so much they built churches and structures that were among the most prized relics of historic Aurora,” Jimenez said.
“And they did not leave without putting up a fight. That is probably one of the greatest, most manifest forms of love.”
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