President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has expressed his plan to pursue more policies and infrastructure projects that would help promote the tourism industry in the country, Malacañang said on Wednesday.

Marcos pitched the proposal during his second meeting with his Cabinet on Tuesday, the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) said in a statement.

Marcos, during the Cabinet meeting held through teleconference, cited Singapore’s policies and infrastructure plans that are seen as major contributors to its good tourism performance despite limited natural resources.

He said it is “so important” to improve the policies and the infrastructure sector in the Philippines to boost tourism activities in the country.

“That means that it can be done. We just have to support the plan to develop all of these enabling environment – the policy, conditions, and infrastructure,” Marcos, as quoted by the OPS, said before his Cabinet.

Marcos also broached the idea of improving healthcare facilities in big tourist destinations like Boracay Island.

This, as he cited the similar arrangement on beaches in Hawaii and Thailand, the OPS said.

“[Sa] beach, maraming police and everything (Intensified police presence on the beach is necessary)…So, if anything happens along that stretch, meron silang tatakbuhan kaagad (tourists could ask for help). The lifeguards know exactly where to bring them,” Marcos said. “That is supported by the local industry. Toka-toka sila (They have their own assignment), to keep a doctor there, to keep a nurse there.”

Marcos also emphasized the need to make travel and lodging in the country easier for tourists.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco agreed that tourism policies must be improved, saying the Philippines is “certainly not at a disadvantage, given the availability of its natural resources and wealth of talent, as well as products and people.”

“Certainly, to benchmark their policies in this regard would be the direction that we would take per your instructions,” Frasco said. “But certainly, many measures could be improved as far as policy regulations, both on the national and local level, and proper coordination – to be able to focus on the overall tourist experience from the time that he arrives to the point of entry to the time that he gets to his point of destination.”

Apart from the plan to boost the tourism industry, the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program and priority transportation projects were discussed during the second Cabinet meeting, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said.

Cruz-Angeles said Marcos and his Cabinet also discussed the proposed budget for 2023. (PNA)