The Department of Tourism (DOT) has reached a significant milestone in enhancing the tourism experience in the Philippines by focusing on the health and safety of tourists.

The DOT, along with the Tourism Infrastructure Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and the Department of Health (DOH), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish Tourist First Aid Facilities as emergency medical response centers in key tourist destinations in the country.

“As we in the Department of Tourism, have sought to reintroduce the Philippines to the world on the strength of our heritage, our culture and our Filipino identity, we have also sought to examine how we can improve the overall tourist experience and further maximize the potential and global competitiveness of our island destinations,” expressed DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco during the MOU signing at the Makati Diamond Hotel today.

Present at the signing were DOT Secretary Frasco are DOH Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa, and TIEZA Assistant COO Atty. Joy M. Bulauitan,

TIEZA has allocated a budget of 47.5 million pesos for the construction of the first batch of Tourist First Aid Facilities, approved earlier in May 2024.

TOURIST SAFETY

The Tourist First Aid Facilities will be established in key tourist destinations such as Boracay, La Union, Panglao in Bohol, Siargao, Palawan, and Puerto Galera, serving as emergency response centers for tourists who may encounter accidents or injuries.

These facilities will be manned by trained healthcare personnel from the DOH and equipped with necessary medical supplies to ensure prompt and efficient emergency response. Additionally, the facilities will have a lifeguard station or viewing deck on the second floor for preventive care.

To complement the Tourists First Aid Facilities, the DOT will install solar powered Tourists First Aid Booths along the beachfront to address immediate concerns for tourists without medical personnel on site.

The Booths shall have first aid supplies, automated external defibrillators or AEDs, a pullout stretchers, a CCTV and a two-way communication system to a command center for distress calls. 

Frasco related that In identifying the initial areas for this project, DOT took into consideration the number of tourists visiting these destinations and their preferred activity like surfing in Siargao and diving in Cebu as well as accessibility to health care facilities or lack thereof, even incidences pertaining to tourists.

TIEZA will lead the construction and fabrication of the facilities following  the health related standards of DOH, compliant with its specifications and support functions, and completed within the budget and timeframe.

CONVERGENCE

Atty. Bulauitan of TIEZA expressed excitement about the collaboration between the DOT, DOH, and TIEZA, introducing the Tourist First Aid Facilities as a first for Philippine tourism.

Meanwhile, DOH Secretary Herbosa was ecstatic in saying that it is a ‘wonderful project’ when he received the invitation for the MOU signing. 

He related, “I see a bright future out of this because I see an opportunity to be able to reach out to the people in our ‘gems’, our island destinations are our gems. We call them our GIDA areas—geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. Why? Because that’s where healthcare is most difficult for most of us, but they’re also our most beautiful destinations which have been converted to actually tourist top islands and destinations, and here we are trying to make sure that our visitors get at least very good emergency first aid.”

This initiative demonstrates the DOT’s commitment to enhancing safety standards in Philippine tourism through collaboration with relevant agencies, aligning with global best practices and prioritizing health and safety in tourism competitiveness. As the number of tourists visiting the Philippines continues to rise, the establishment of Tourist First Aid Facilities becomes increasingly essential.

The groundbreaking in La Union, the first facility, is scheduled for next week. The completion of all six pre-determined facilities is expected by the first quarter of 2025