De Lima pushes for family-friendly & nature-oriented, not vice-oriented tourism developments

Re-electionist Senator Leila M. de Lima urged the government to develop nature-oriented family destinations both for local and international tourists.

De Lima said that as much as possible, the local tourist destinations should be free from vices, particularly the ones associated with gambling. "Our tourism havens must be developed as family-friendly areas, with less focus on gambling and other vice-oriented tourism developments," she said. "By now, the government should already be aware of the adverse social and moral impacts of gambling and other vices. Tourism developments that are vice-oriented would create more problems instead of helping boost our tourism industry," she added.

Aside from local travelers, more foreigners are expected to spend summer in the country, with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) expecting international arrivals to reach an average of 12,000 per day in the coming weeks.

According to BI, to date, an average of 10,000 inbound travelers arrive daily, noting that the number has been rising steadily since the government eased restrictions on the entry of fully vaccinated foreign travelers.

With leisure travel now being allowed, the lady Senator from Bicol said the government must come up with policies discouraging vice-oriented attractions.

"Policies and legislation must be made to discourage and disincentivize vice-oriented attractions and activities in major tourist destinations and ensure that our tourism is nature-oriented, where our natural wonders are made accessible to all in accordance with their respective carrying capacities," she said.

"Buong mundo ang humahanga sa magagandang destinasyon sa Pilipinas. Sa paglago ng turismo, dumarami ang trabaho para sa Pilipino. Umuunlad ang ekonomiya at kakayahan ng gobyerno na palawakin ang kanilang mga serbisyo.

"Sa mga atraksyong ito dapat tumutok ang pamahalaan, hindi sa pagkunsinti sa mga sugalan na naglululong sa mga Pilipino sa bisyo, kung saan iilan lamang ang tunay na nakikinabang, habang marami ang winawasak na pamilya at kinabukasan. Hindi ito ang gusto nating maging destinasyon, lalo na ng mga kabataan," she added.

In Sept. 2021, De Lima proposed Senate Resolution (SR) No. 907 calling for a Senate investigation into the lifting of the moratorium on the opening of casinos in the rehabilitated Boracay island, allowing a Chinese company to put-up an integrated casino-resort project in the country's famous tourist destination.