BAGUIO CITY--The Regional Statistics Committee (RSC-CAR) approved the inclusion of the academe and other tourism-related informal sector as members of the Technical Working Group (TWG) in the preparation of the Cordillera Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA).
The state universities and colleges and some private universities in the region will form part of the expanded group to ensure provincial representation and enhance participation of various groups.
The RSC-CAR chaired by the National Economic and Development Authority, created the TWG in 2018 composed of the Philippine Statistics Authority as the chair, the Department of Tourism as the co-chair, and local government units, regional line agencies and private organizations as members. The group is tasked to contribute to the compilation of tourism data from 2016 to 2019 which will serve as basis in identifying policies and programs for the tourism industry in the region.
The final report of the Cordillera TSA 2016-2019 will be updated with the inclusion of 2020 tourism data estimates as recommended by the National Statistician and the PSA Macroeconomic Accounts Service when the report was presented in March this year. The expanded membership of the TWG will be instrumental in updating said report by providing local data in coordination with the provincial tourism councils.
The Cordillera TSA report shows that Baguio City remains as the major contributor to the regional economy with its consistent record of having the highest share in internal tourism expenditure from 2016 to 2019. In terms of employment, 4 out of 100 are employed in tourism industries. In 2019, it contributed a total P322.09 billion in the CAR gross regional domestic product.
The report will be more relevant in building back the region’s local economy with the inclusion of 2020 tourism estimates on expenditures and employment, among others, that draw lessons from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the tourism industry.
The preparation of the Cordillera TSA is the first regional initiative in the country which aims to measure the contribution of tourism in the local economy. (Marissa Cabato-NEDA-CAR)
