Representative Brian Poe of FPJ Panday Bayanihan Partylist, vice chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, on Tuesday urged the government to allocate more funds for tourism road infrastructure, warning that continued neglect could stall the country’s domestic tourism momentum.
At the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) budget briefing in Quezon City, Poe pointed out that while tourism accounted for 8.9 percent of the Philippines’ GDP in 2024, poor connectivity remains a major obstacle.
“It takes about six hours to get to Hundred Islands from Manila,” Poe said. “Two and a half hours of that is just Urdaneta to Alaminos—and that’s because we don’t have enough road infrastructure to ease the traffic burden within Pangasinan.”
The lawmaker noted that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has no dedicated allocation for tourism roads, despite the sector’s outsized contribution to the economy. He pressed his colleagues in Congress to act decisively on the matter.
Tourism officials backed the call, saying that accessibility is vital in sustaining growth. In 2024, the sector generated ₱3.86 trillion in tourism expenditures, with domestic travelers contributing ₱3.16 trillion, according to the DOT.
Poe added that infrastructure shortfalls continue to frustrate both tourists and locals.
“What is easily addressable—and receives zero funding—is our road infrastructure leading to our beautiful beaches and destination locations,” he said. “If we can support the DOT in creating more meaningful infrastructure, I believe we should do so, and I hope they won’t forget Pangasinan.”
