Tourism workers affected by natural disasters and emergencies can now receive financial and training assistance through a partnership between the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian formalized the Bayanihan sa Bukas na may Pag-asa sa Turismo (BBMT) program through a Memorandum of Agreement signed on January 23 in Pasay City. Undersecretaries Shahlimar Hofer Tamano and Diana Rose Cajipe witnessed the event.
Under BBMT, qualified tourism frontliners can now access DSWD’s cash assistance programs, including Emergency Cash Transfers (ECT) and Cash for Work, alongside DOT’s alternative livelihood training such as hilot massage, candle making, pastry making, detergent making, fun farm tours, and Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE). This initiative aims to help workers whose livelihoods were disrupted, including those affected by the recent Mt. Kanlaon eruption in Negros Occidental.
Eligible beneficiaries include tourism workers listed under DSWD’s Listahanan 3, community-based tourism organization members, and workers in disaster-affected tourism destinations.
“This collaboration will help thousands of tourism workers recover from calamities and regain their livelihoods,” said Secretary Frasco, highlighting tourism’s resilience as a key economic driver. She assured that this is just the beginning of more DOT-DSWD partnerships.
Secretary Gatchalian emphasized the program’s role in directly assisting marginalized communities impacted by disasters. “The tourism sector is a pillar of our economy, and this partnership ensures that affected workers receive much-needed support,” he stated.
BBMT was first piloted on May 27, 2024, providing aid to victims of severe flooding in Davao Region and Agusan del Sur. The initiative continues to expand, reinforcing the government’s commitment to uplifting tourism workers and strengthening disaster resilience.
