Village Connect
The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) have joined forces to support tourism workers impacted by natural disasters and emergencies. Under a new initiative called Bayanihan sa Bukas na may Pag-asa sa Turismo (BBMT), affected workers can access financial assistance and livelihood training to help them recover and rebuild their lives.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian officially signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the BBMT program on January 23, with Undersecretaries Shahlimar Hofer Tamano and Diana Rose Cajipe serving as witnesses.
This partnership enables tourism frontliners whose livelihoods have been disrupted by calamities, such as the recent Mt. Kanlaon eruption, to receive cash assistance from DSWD’s existing programs, including Emergency Cash Transfers (ECT) and Cash for Work.
In addition to financial aid, DOT will provide training programs on alternative livelihoods, such as basic hilot (massage), candle making, bread and pastry making, and community-based culinary skills. These programs aim to equip affected workers with new skills to sustain their income during challenging times.
The partnership targets tourism workers who are disaster-qualified under the Listahanan 3, other standardized DSWD systems, or are members of community-based tourism organizations. Beneficiaries may include those living in tourism destinations or those whose livelihoods were directly affected by emergencies.
During the signing ceremony in Pasay City, Secretary Frasco emphasized the importance of the tourism sector as a reliable source of livelihood, even amid climate-related challenges. She expressed gratitude to the DSWD for the collaboration, highlighting that this initiative is just the start of more joint efforts to uplift tourism workers nationwide. “This partnership empowers DOT to provide essential assistance, ensuring that tourism remains a positive force in people’s lives and contributes to the economic well-being of Filipino families,” she said.
Secretary Gatchalian echoed this sentiment, stressing that the program is designed to reach marginalized communities directly impacted by natural calamities. He noted that tourism workers not only face property damage during disasters but also disruptions to their primary sources of income. “This partnership is a synergy of vision and mandate, efficiently utilizing government resources to aid affected communities,” Gatchalian stated.
The BBMT program was first piloted on May 27, 2024, providing financial and training assistance to victims of severe flooding in the Davao Region and Agusan Del Sur. With the formal launch of this initiative, both agencies aim to strengthen disaster resilience and support sustainable livelihoods for tourism workers across the Philippines.
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