DOT extends ‘free accreditation’ for tourism establishments

FILE: Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco discusses the programs of the agency to help the industry overcome post-pandemic challenges at the 43rd National Conference of Employers Confederation of the Philippines held at the Marriott Hotel in Pasay City on Wednesday (Aug. 24, 2022). Frasco recognized the importance of the partnership between the government and employers in pursuing recovery of the tourism sector, which was severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) is extending the waiving of accreditation fees for tourism establishments.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said the move would help tourism enterprises to recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

DOT’s Memorandum Circular 2022-001 is anchored on Presidential Proclamation No. 57 s. 2022 which further extended the period of state of calamity in the Philippines until Dec. 31, 2022.

“While the proclamation on the period of state calamity in the country has ended, we at the DOT discern the need to continue, for as long as essential, measures that will support our stakeholders in their process of recouping the devastating losses incurred in the almost three years that the tourism industry was brought to a standstill due to the pandemic,” Frasco said.

In addition to the waived accreditation fees, the memorandum contains salient points that were aligned by the department with the issuances of the national government’s Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Among these include the streamlining of documentary requirements for accreditation as well as the conduct of virtual inspections in lieu of physical inspections.

Frasco noted however that updates had been made to some of the provisions in the memorandum circular that the department released on March 24, 2022.

The DOT is also targeting the resumption of new applications for Star Rating and Premium Accreditation — suspended under Section 6 under the memorandum circular — by next month.

The DOT is encouraging enterprises with expiring basic registration to instead apply for a regular accreditation.

Tourism establishments may apply for accreditation online thru the DOT’s online accreditation system at https://accreditation.tourism.gov.ph/login.