The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) have formalized a new component of their Balik Bayani sa Turismo partnership through the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for the Investment Opportunities for Nation’s Tourism (IPON) Tourism Program on Thursday (Nov. 27) at the DOT Multipurpose Hall in Makati City.
Led by Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, the ceremony brought together officials from both departments and key private sector partners who have contributed to the program’s initiatives, including Hotel 101, FastCat, 2GO, Duty Free Philippines Corporation, and DOON PH.
Speaking before guests, the Tourism Chief emphasized how collaboration between government and private sector partners provides returning OFWs with meaningful opportunities in the tourism industry.
“Year after year, OFW remittances and tourism receipts are among the highest contributors to the Philippine economy. Our workers abroad sustain families and local communities, while tourism generates jobs, supports enterprises, and drives regional growth. Today’s signing of our MOU continues our program by bringing these two pillars of our economy together, allowing returning OFWs to reintegrate into communities that are expanding and full of opportunity and hope,” Secretary Frasco said.
Under the agreement, the program offers returning OFWs pathways in tourism livelihood training, skills certification, and investment opportunities in tourism-related enterprises. These include culinary training, tour guiding, condotel investment schemes, transport co-hosting, and logistics partnerships. The initiative also enables OFWs to serve as trainers or resource persons through the Teach-It-Forward program, strengthening local workforce capacities.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac and top executives from partner companies including Charley Magabo, General Manager of Hotel101; Michael V. Fox, AVP for General Services at FastCat; Jerome Lopez Manlapaz, Retail Manager of 2GO; Enrique Hormillo, CEO of DOON Transport Technologies Inc.; and Patrick Joel Cinco, Chief Operating Officer of Duty Free Philippines Corporation all attended the collaborative program.
Meanwhile, Maria Rica C. Bueno, DOT Undersecretary for Tourism Standards, Regulations, and Human Capital Development, and Arlene Alipio, DOT Director of the Office of Human Capital Development, also spoke at the signing ceremony. Joining the event were DOT Undersecretaries Shahlimar Hofer Tamano, Verna Buensuceso, and Ferdinand C. Jumapao, along with Assistant Secretaries Judilyn Quiachon and Ina Zara-Loyola.
