Department of Tourism

Department of Tourism: Its More Fun in the Philippines!
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I. Introduction

The Department of Tourism (Kagawaran ng Turismo, DOT) is the
executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the
regulation of the Philippine tourism industry and the promotion of the
Philippines as a tourist destination. It is also in charged that are
primarily charged with the responsibility to encourage, promote, and
develop tourism as a major socio-economic activity to generate foreign
currency and employment, and to spread the benefits of tourism to both
the private and public sector. It is responsible for keeping our tourist
attractions in place, and to encourage foreigners to come, visit and
explore the beauty of our country.

Tourism has contributed significantly to the growth and
competitiveness of the Philippine economy. While challenges in the
global and domestic fronts have been encountered, it can be said that the
industrys performance for the past three years has set it on track to
achieve its goal in becoming a powerful economic growth engine for
generating jobs and creating economic activity in the country.


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HISTORY

The Department of Tourism started as a private initiative to
promote the Philippines as a major travel destination; the Philippine
Tourist & Travel Association was organized in 1950. In 1956, the Board
of Travel and Tourist Industry was created by Philippine Congress. As
stipulated in the Integrated Reorganization Plan in 1972 sanctioned as a
law under Presidential Decree No. 1, as amended, the Department of
Trade and Tourism was established, reorganizing the then Department of
Commerce and Industry. A Philippine Tourism Commission was created
under the unified Trade and Tourism Department to oversee the growth
of the tourism industry as a source of economic benefit for the country.

Then in 1973, President Ferdinand Marcos created a new cabinet-
level Department of Tourism (DOT) by splitting the Department of
Trade and Tourism into two separate departments. Included in the new
Department of Tourism, the agency Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA)
and the Philippine Convention Bureau (PCB) were created. The
Department of Tourism was then renamed Ministry of Tourism as result
of the shift in the form of government as enshrined in the amendments to
the 1973 Constitution.

In 1986, under Executive Order Numbers 120 and 120-A signed by
President Corazon Aquino, the Department of Tourism was reorganized
and, correspondingly, the Philippine Convention Bureau was renamed
the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation. In 1998, the

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Department of Tourism assumed a prominent role in culmination of
centennial celebrations of the Philippine's Independence from Spain.

And in 2003, the Department of Tourism initiated one of its most
successful tourism promotion project, Visit Philippines 2003, under
Secretary Richard J. Gordon.


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Department Structure and Functions


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Office of the Secretary
The Office of the Secretary provides leadership, direction, and
substance to the overall operations of the Department. It formulates
policies, plans, programs, rules, and regulations; reviews and evaluates
the performance of the Tourism Master Plan and advises the President on
all matters affecting the tourism program of the country.

Tourism Promotion Sector
The Tourism Promotion Sector has the primary function of promoting
the Philippines as a tourist destination domestically and internationally.
It devises integrated marketing and promotional activities such as
information dissemination, public relations, special events, and related
tourism programs. It likewise supervises the overseas field offices
established to implement and enhance the tourism development and
promotion program of the Department in the international field.

Tourism Services and Regional Offices Sector
The Tourism Services and Regional Offices Sector are tasked to
ensure the pleasant entry, stay, and exit of tourists. It formulates
standards of quantity and efficiency for tourism-oriented establishments,
among others, done through an accreditation system. Tourist
establishments' compliance to policies is monitored to make sure that
their facilities and services are operated and maintained according to
acceptable international norms. The Sector also supervises DOT's
regional operations established to implement the policies, plans,

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programs, and regulations of the Department and to maintain the
delivery of efficient and effective frontline services for the tourism
industry.

Tourism Planning, Product Development and Coordination Sector

The Tourism Planning, Product Development and Coordination
Sector are responsible for the formulation and updating of the Tourism
Master Plan, together with its component programs. The Sector monitors
the effective implementation of the Tourism Master Plan and, in
coordination with the private sector and other government institutions,
develops and conceptualizes new products and investment opportunities
designed to enhance tourist sites and facilities.

Internal Services Sector
The Internal Services Sector ensures the smooth and legal functioning
of the operations of the Department through the provision of effective
and efficient advice and services in the areas of personnel management,
human resources development, general services administration,
computerization and information technology services, budgetary,
financial and management services, and including investigatory and
advisory services.


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Mission and Vision of Department of Tourism

Vision
The 2006 State of the Nation Address envisaged the Central
Philippines to be the countrys premium tourist destination on account of
its range of natural attraction and cultural heritage.
The Department of Tourism aims to improve accessibility of travel
destinations, make tourism products better and more affordable,
promote a culture of tourism among local residents, and increase
recognition of tourism as an effective and efficient tool towards socio-
economic development of the Philippines.

"The Central Philippines will be a significant destination that offers
direct international access, seamless interconnectivity, world-class
tourist facilities and products that meet the demands of tomorrows
tourist. The Central Philippines will achieve these through the
sustainable development of tourism products, environmental protection
and enhancement, underpinned by adequate infrastructure with rational
management of the destinations, capacity building, investment
promotion, effective marketing and an improved business environment."

Mission
The Department of Tourism is tasked with the mission of generating
foreign currency and employment; spreading the benefits of tourism to a

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wider segment of the population with the support, assistance and
cooperation of both the private and public sector; and ensuring the safe,
convenient, enjoyable stay and travel of foreign and local visitors in the
Philippines.

Looking to the future, the major challenge facing the Central
Philippines is to diversify the economy from its reliance on primary
products - mainly agriculture. This can only be done by identifying and
developing value added internationally traded products/services in agri-
business, manufacturing and the service sector. However, the service
sector's capacity to constitute a 'driver' of regional economic activity is
limited by the fact that much of the output is either non-traded
(Government services) or sheltered utilities. Internationally traded
services with significant growth potential are few; tourism is being the
main one.


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Tourism National Strategy

Formulate an integrated sustainable tourism management plan for
Central Philippines, identifying viable critical environmental,
infrastructure and community-based projects to link and integrate the
tourism development of the area.

In particular the Tourism Management Plan will:

1. Provide a comprehensive planning framework for the development of
tourism so that it can play a key role in the development of the regional
economy;
2. Elaborate a vision of the future direction and content of tourism
development, which can help to focus and guide the actions of the
various stakeholders towards a shared goal;
3. Identify areas for tourism development, related tourism facilities and
supporting infrastructure;
4. Specify the major programs, roles and responsibilities of key players,
institutional arrangements and resource requirements for achieving the
vision.


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Powers and Functions
The DOT shall prepare a market development program to attract
people to visit the Philippines and enhance the prestige of the country
and the Filipino people in the international community. It shall also
represent the government in all domestic and international conferences
and fora, and in all multilateral or bilateral treaties and international
agreements concerning tourism.

Department Structure and Offices
The DOT shall consist of the Department Proper (Offices of the
Secretary, Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries), Department
Offices, Services and Unit, and the Regional and Foreign Offices. The
Department Offices are:

1. Office of Product Development. Functions include the
conceptualization and development of new products which will enhance
tourism sites and facilities, and encouraging joint undertakings with the
private sector for the development of new tourism-related products and
programs.
2. Office of Tourism Development Planning, Research and Information
Management. Tasked with the preparation, formulation monitoring and
evaluation of policies, plans and programs of the DOT, including the
National Tourism Development Plan. It is also tasked with sourcing of
grants or loans from local and foreign funding institutions to implement
tourism policies, plans and projects, as well as pursuing DOTs interests

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in multilateral, international, and regional tourism cooperation,
agreements and treaties.
3. Office of Industry Manpower Development. It is tasked, among others,
of conducting seminars on Philippine history, culture, environment and
related subjects, in coordination with appropriate government agencies
and the private sector, as well as encouraging the development of
training courses and apprenticeship programs for tourist guides and other
similar workers jointly with concerned tourism enterprises, appropriate
government agencies and the private sector.
4. Office of Tourism Standards and Regulations. Tasked with formulating
and enforcing internationally competitive standards of facilities and
services.
5. Office of Tourism Coordination. Tasked to increase linkages between
various government offices and the private sector and among the various
entities in the private sector itself to properly implement tourism policy,
including the function of supporting the private sector in all tourism
activities requiring governmental coordination.
6. Office of Tourism Resource Generation. This office is tasked with the
collection of necessary fees and charges which shall be used by the DOT
in the promotion and marketing efforts of the Tourism Promotions Board
(TPB ) and the development of infrastructure facilities, utilities and
services of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority
(TIEZA). The proceeds of such collection shall accrue directly and
automatically to the DOT.


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Agencies and Corporations are attached to the DOT
Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) The Philippine Conventions and
Visitors Corporation (PCVC) is hereby reorganized as the TPB. The
Bureaus for Domestic and International Tourism Promotions, and the
Office of Tourism Information of the DOT, are hereby absorbed into the
TPB.
Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA). The
Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) is reorganized as the TIEZA.
Duty-Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC). It shall be a body corporate
to operate the duty-and tax-free merchandising system in the Philippines
to augment the service facilities for tourists and to generate foreign
exchange and revenue for the government. The Duty Free Philippines
shall be reorganized to become the DFPC.
Intramuros Administration tasked with the restoration and development
of Intramuros, the walled city of Manila.

National Parks Development Committee. Has the primary purpose of
developing and maintaining assigned parks specifically the Rizal Park or
Luneta (NPDC's flagship), Paco Park, the Pook ni Maria Makiling and
Burnham Park.

Nayong Pilipino Foundation. Tasked with the mission of enshrining the
rich national heritage of the Filipino through the authentic depiction of
customs & traditions and of natural and historical legacies.


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Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving, which shall undertake
measures to provide the standard basic dive rules to all levels or kinds of
divers, regulate scuba sports and technical diving in the country and
ensure the safety of the sport through the formulation of policies
pursuant thereto, in coordination with the Office of Tourism Standards
and Regulations, including the regulation of the accredited scuba sports
and technical diving establishments.

Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation. The promotional arm
of the DOT. The PCVC is tasked to plan and implement the country's
tourism marketing efforts and promote the Philippines as a destination
for conventions.

Philippine Tourism Authority. The implementing arm of the DOT for
policies and programs pertaining to the development, promotion and
supervision of Philippine Tourism infrastructure projects.


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Tourism Infrastructure Program
The DOT, in accordance with the National Tourism
Development Plan and local government initiatives, shall coordinate
with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the
Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) in the
establishment of a tourism infrastructure program in the respective work
programs of said agencies, identifying therein vital access roads,
airports, seaports and other infrastructure requirement in identified
tourism areas. The said agencies and the Department of Budget and
Management (DBM) shall accord priority status to the funding of this
tourism infrastructure program.

Department of Tourism Projects
Visit Islands Philippines 1994
Miss Universe Beauty Pageant 1994
Florikultura '98 - international horticulture exhibition
Expo Pilipino 1998 - Philippine Centennial International Exposition
Visit Philippines 2003
Wow Philippines


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It's More Fun in the Philippines
During January 2012, the Department of Tourism launched a
global campaign under the simple yet memorable slogan Its More Fun
in the Philippines. Raising awareness of the country as a tourism
destination and establishing favorable perceptions of the Philippines
were the main objectives of the campaign as many foreigners remain
unaware of the Philippines. With limited financial resources, the
Department of Tourism relied heavily on social media, inviting internet
users to upload photographs of both popular and less well-known
Philippine holiday destinations and adding words to the now popular
slogan. The campaign has so far been successful as much of the user-
created content went viral within hours, catching the attention of the
international media as well as high numbers potential of potential
inbound arrivals.
The new campaign bears the logo of a banig weave that forms the
map of the Philippines. The advertising agency behind the idea was also
responsible for the Wow Philippines: More than the Usual brand
campaign that was used in 2001.
Department of Tourism just released its new tourism campaign
slogan, its more fun in the Philippines. It gained both positive and
negative remarks. It was even said that it was just a copycat of the
promotional tagline of Switzerland 60 years ago. But it seems this


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doesnt affect much the increasing popularity of the slogan especially in
the social media sites. I just thought why some Filipinos choose to
criticize and find faults in this tourism slogan rather than being
supportive and cooperative in the improvement of our tourism industry.

S Yes, DOT made some mistakes in crafting this slogan but the
mistakes are done already and we just have to live and make the most
out of it. We cant say that the slogan Its more fun in the Philippines
is incorrect because truly it is more fun in the Philippines.

The new slogan is so catchy that creates a buzz in the social media
site. It encourages Filipinos to interact and create their version of the
slogan, some are well-thought and mostly some of them are just a fun
adaptation of the new slogan. But if we just really analyze the strength of
this, it is simpler but an honest remark, more flexible, easy to understand
and even more competitive than the previous tourism slogan we had.

The new tourism campaign focus on the countrys strength, it
states that the thing that other countries cant offer and that is the
happiest and warmest people on earth, the Filipinos. Even the Lonely
Planet guidebook calls us among the most easygoing and ebullient
people anywhere. This only shows the positive attitudes of Filipinos can
be one way to attract tourists. Filipinos are very warm, hospitable;
always love to have fun that can be a positive factor to the tourism

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industry. They say that fun is a fusion of place and people. One place
could be a paradise but it wont be fun if the people in the place are not
so accommodating.

Philippines is such a beautiful and refreshing country to people
who wants to unwind and relax, not just for us Filipinos but also to
foreigners who loved to visit and explore our country Philippines. We
have so much to offer like our famous White Sand Beaches most
particularly in the island of BORACAY, the beautiful Tubbataha Reef
which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World as of the year 2013.
Baguio the summer capital of the Philippines is one of the top
most visited tourist spot in the country, as of last Holiday season over
700, 000 foreigners went there to spent and celebrate their holiday
vacation. And this coming summer season Boracay and more beaches in
the islands are pre-occupied because many tourists are making
reservations.


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Top Philippine Destination
Barefoot in the Beach Boracay

There is an undeniable easy atmosphere in Boracay where
walking barefoot than shod is the rule rather than the exception. White
Beach is so fine; feels like treading on miles of baby powder! No
wonder, even swinging discos have the beach for a floor, giving dance a
new twist.
There are no hang-ups either in this island. At daytime, tourists
having a soothing massage under the shade of a coconut tree beside the
shoreline are a common sight. And from dusk to dawn, Boracay turns
into one big party place where everyone is welcome to join inBut first,
let's toast that sunset cocktail.
Diversions are certainly no problem in this tropical Eden with
leisure activities calendared throughout the year and amenities offered by
some 350 tourist establishments.


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The Last Frontier Palawan

For a long time, Palawan's bountiful resources, abundant wildlife
and extraordinary natural beauty are known only to the many ethnic
communities that thrive in these islands and a few other daring settlers
who wanted to live in unpolluted surroundings.
The island-province first attracted foreign attention in the 1970's
when it became a United Nations Vietnamese Refugee Center. At this
time, a disturbance in Kenya also saw the transport of endangered
animals from its savannas to the plains of Calauit Island.
However, it was only a sea accident in 1979 that eventually led to
the opening of Palawan into tourism big time.
As the story goes, a tuna line disabled a dive boat's propeller in
the middle of the night forcing it to drop anchor in an inlet. The
following morning, the divers woke up to an amazing scenery of
skyscraping dark cliffs, thick green forest, white-sand beach, sparkling


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water and, rising above it, a series of magnificently sculpted jade islands.
And thus was how El Nido was discovered.
Ecology awareness is at a high level throughout the province.
Puerto Princesa prides itself as the cleanest city in the Philippines. To
protect its mega diversity, only eco-friendly programs are adhered to by
tourist establishments. And there are strict ordinances against dynamite
fishing, with only net and line fishing allowed.
Palawan may have opened itself to tourism but it has also taken
serious efforts to preserve this last frontier.

Banaue of Painterly Dreams Baguio City

Because of its high altitude, Banaue is often described as "where
land merges with the clouds to meet the heavens" with the rice terraces
as "the stairway to the sky."
Banaue is a place for nature adventures and cultural immersion.
Days are for indulging in such activities as strolling, biking, and

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trekking. Evenings are for campfire chats at a village or warm indoor
cosseting at the lodges and inns.
A leading tourism destination in Asia, the Banaue rice terraces
start from the base of the Cordilleras and reach up to several thousand
feet high. Its length, if stretched from end to end, could encircle half of
the globe.
The rice paddies are fed by mountain springs and streams that
are channeled into an irrigation canal that runs downhill through the
terraces.
In the village of Batad, the terraces take the shape of an
amphitheater and can be reached by a 12-kilometer ride from Banaue
Hotel and a 2-hour hike through mountain trails.
After trekking through the terraces, cool retreats indeed are the
spring-fed stream of Guihob and the magnificent Tappiya Waterfalls
which has an enormous basin for swimming.
Shopping takes a different twist in Banaue. While souvenir items
are offered by curio stores, the more exciting way to shop, however, is to
go on a village visit, watch a family demonstrate their native craft and
then haggle for a better price on their product.


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Land of Plenty Davao City

"Kadayawan sa Dabaw" is Davao City's premier festival and
showcases the natural and cultural bounty of the land.
A movable feast in August, the week-long merrymaking highlights
the manifold tribal cultures of the region which are vividly expressed in
traditional songs, dances, games and crafts. It is also on this occasion
when a lively trade fair, capped by a flower-and-fruit float parade, takes
place. Street dancing and popular entertainment complete the
celebration.
Agriculture-based industries thrive in the Davao region. A
major exporter of bananas, citrus, mangosteen and other tropical fruits, it
is also the biggest producer of cultured flowers in the country. Its
surrounding waters are rich sources for commercial fishing.
The world's largest city in terms of land area, Davao covers all
of 244,000 hectares.

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Old World City Vigan

Vigan, with its centuries-old edifices, is a breathing reminder of what
was once a royal city.
One of the earliest Spanish settlements in the country, Vigan
was founded in 1572 by Juan de Salcedo who patterned its design to that
of Intramuros (Old Manila). It became the seat of the Archdiocese of
Nueva Segovia and was called Ciudad Fernandina in honor of King
Ferdinand.
Today, Vigan retains much of the patina of 18th century
Castillan architecture as seen in some 150 stone houses which stand in
the town's Mestizo District, notably Mena Crisologo Street. Many of
these ancestral homes are still in good condition and some have been
turned into cozy inns, museums, and souvenir shops.

Along with the homes are other vestiges of the town's colonial past:

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The majestic St. Paul's Cathedral was built by the Augustinian friars
along the distinct "Earthquake Baroque" style of the Ilocos region and
features Neo-Gothic and pseudo Romanesque motifs. Standing on an
elevation west of the cathedral is Plaza Salcedo, the oldest monument in
Northern Luzon. The Archbishop's Palace is a rich repository of religious
artifacts from the Ilocos region. Plaza Burgos was built in honor of Fr.
Jose Burgos, one of three Filipino priests who were garroted by the
Spaniards for espousing church reforms.
But it is not only edifices which are preserved in this town inscribed
in the World Heritage List. Viganos also remain steadfast in their
traditional crafts, notably pottery (burnay) and handloom weaving
(inabel).
The horse-drawn calesa (rig) is as much a presence in the streets
as motor vehicles.

Awesome Hills Bohol


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Chocolate Hills is a series of 1,268 perfectly symmetrical, haycock-
shaped hills that rise some 30 meters above the ground. A National
Geologic Monument, these unique, rock formations were cast after
million years of evolution.
Spread out in the towns of Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan, the hills
are so-called because they resemble chocolate bonbons when their grass
cover turns to brown at the onset of summer. Two of the hills have been
developed and provided with facilities, including a view deck, a youth
hostel and a restaurant.

Manila

The capital of the Philippines - its heart and soul -- is Manila. It
sets the rhythm of life in this archipelago and is a pulsating hub that
blends the Oriental with the Occidental, the quaint with the modern, the
mundane with the extraordinary.


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Manila was born out of the ashes of a once flourishing Malay
settlement by the banks of the Pasig River. In 1571, Miguel Lopez de
Legazpi established the Ever Loyal City of Manila which, until 1898,
was the seat of Spanish colonial rule in Asia. He built the city within
walls and called it Intramuros.
An anchor tourist destination, Manila is the very core of the 7,000
times more islands that make up the Philippines. It is a center for the
performing arts in Asia.

Deterrents to the Growth of Tourism
Several factors hamper the growth of tourism. These are:
1. Domestic political uncertainty in the country;
2. Constant threat of insurgency in areas with natural attractions;
3. Inadequacy of accommodations with standards of quality befitting
foreign tourists;
4. Absence of a culture of tourism;
5. Lack of transportation systems to move efficiently and comfortably,
and at lower cost, large numbers of tourists to other attractions outside
Luzon, and from one destination to another;
6. Lack of secondary attractions around primary destinations.


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Conclusion

The aggressive effort of the Department of Tourism and the
participation of the private sector, with deliberate push from the
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to upgrade and expand
the tourism-related infrastructure, facilities, amenities, and systems
present a bright future for the tourism industry. After all, it is one
industry where we have a permanent competitive edge over our ASEAN
neighbors proximate geographical location to emerging tourist markets,
more attractive natural wonders, and warm and friendly people. All that
is lacking is comparable infrastructure and more tourist-oriented
facilities. The government and private investors are working fast towards
correcting that competitive disadvantage. But now we can say that the
countrys economy is now driving by the Philippine tourism industry.


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Bibliography
UNESCO World Heritage, Readers Digest: Unseen Asia, April 2010,
p.92
Benjamin B. Domingo, Philippine Tourism, Foreign Service Institute
(Philippines), 2008
Nigel Hicks, The Magic of the Philippines, New Holland Publishers,
Limited, 2002
Francis Dorai, Philippines GUIDE Series; INSIGHT GUIDES
PHILIPPINES, APA Publications, 2000
"Top 10 Islands, World's Best Awards 2011, Travel + Leisure Magazine.
"The Philippines' best beaches and islands". CNN Travel, September 27,
2013.


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References :
http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/research/centers/cberd/pdf/papers/2008/Working
Paper-2008-08-RPUSFTA-Lagman.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_the_Philippines
http://www.experiencephilippines.org/
https://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&c
d=10&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CGYQFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fww
w.visitmyphilippines.com%2F&ei=WBsnU_eMGIWtiAfZn4BY&usg=
AFQjCNGu22pVFhV79Js2AT6WSSG3jhLhmA&sig2=iqiNRIThROiq4
sSWNZXAJw&bvm=bv.62922401,d.cGU

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