Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco launched the first Philippine Tourism Awards on Monday to honor communities, innovators and businesses that have contributed to the growth of the country’s tourism sector.
Frasco said the awards highlighted tourism’s essential role as both a livelihood and a source of national pride.
“Tourism is a driving force of progress and a fount of hope for millions of Filipinos. It is sustenance, dignity, and the promise of a better tomorrow,” she said.
The tourism chief said the industry has long been underestimated but continues to sustain millions of Filipinos, from farmers supplying hotels to artisans showcasing local culture and hospitality staff.
Among the winners were long-established enterprises such as Marsman Drysdale Travel Inc., Rajah Travel Corp., The Baron Travel Corp., Baguio Country Club Corp., Chali Resort and Conference Center and Mambukal Resort (Ishiwata Bath House).
Hotel winners included Embassy Hotel and Grand Astoria Hotel in Zamboanga, Hotel del Rio in Iloilo, Montebello Villa Hotel in Cebu, Taal Vista Hotel in Cavite, Apo View Hotel in Davao and The VIP Hotel in Cagayan de Oro.
Individual honorees featured pioneers in the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) sector like Maria Cristina Lourdes Capistrano, Elizabeth De La Fuente, Dexter Deyto and Patrick Lawrence Tan, along with industry stalwarts such as tourism advocate Joji Ilagan-Bian, photographer George Tapan and hotelier Anthony De Leon.
Posthumous honors were given to Josefa Imperial Aquino, Jaime Barrientos, and Yvette Lee.
Special Tourism Pillar Excellence Awards were presented to Philippine Airlines, The Manila Hotel, the Philippine Travel Agencies Association and the University of the Philippines-Asian Institute of Tourism.
The awards also recognized outstanding tourism products and destinations. The Lakbay-Dagat Award went to Boracay Island and Puerto Princesa City, while the Salo-Salo Award for gastronomy honored Pasil in Kalinga, San Fernando City in La Union and Santa Cruz in Laguna.
The Pamana Award for living cultures recognized the province of Batanes, Isabela de Basilan, Lubuagan in Kalinga, Rodriguez in Rizal and San Jose in Occidental Mindoro.
The Likha Award for arts destinations went to Baguio City, Las Piñas City, and San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, while the Kalinaw Award for faith-based destinations was conferred on Makilala in Cotabato, Manila’s Quiapo Church and Traslacion Route and Tanay in Rizal.
For ecotourism, awardees included Aloguinsan in Cebu, Balbalan in Kalinga, the province of Bohol, Camiguin’s Mantigue Island, Isabela de Basilan and Sagay City in Negros Occidental.
Top provincial, city and municipal destinations were also recognized, including Bolinao in Pangasinan, Loboc in Bohol, Malay in Aklan, Baguio City, Biñan City, Sipalay City and the provinces of Bohol, Bulacan, Cebu and Ilocos Sur.
Special recognition for Tourism Industry Excellence went to Cebu Pacific Air and Megaworld Hotels & Resorts for setting benchmarks in service and innovation.
Frasco underscored the Marcos administration’s efforts to transform the sector through infrastructure, financing for small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSME), visa reforms and the Philippine Experience Program, which promotes culture and heritage across regions.
She said the awards symbolize a commitment to unity, excellence, and sustainability in a competitive global tourism landscape.
