By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod recently advanced an ordinance requiring local tourism enterprises, which include travel and tour services, transportation services for tourists, lodging establishments, convention and exhibition organizers, tourism estate management services, among other related operations, to acquire Department of Tourism (DOT) accreditation before they are issued a business permit.

According to the policy, penned by Bacolod City Councilor Em Ang, the regulation is in accordance with RA 9593, or The Tourism Act of 2009, which notes, “In order to encourage global competitiveness, strengthen data gathering and research on tourism, and facilitate the promotion of individual enterprises and the industry as a whole, the DOT shall prescribe and regulate standards for the operation of the tourism industry.”

The City Tourism Office is required to monitor compliance by all primary tourism enterprises and recommend closures to the City Legal Officer against violators.

The ordinance indicates, “Failure of compliance by primary tourism enterprises to secure accreditation certificate from the DOT after due notice, shall result to the issuance of closure order from the city.”

A third and final reading is scheduled to take place this week./DGB, WDJ