PASAY CITY -- President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday cited the need to improve policies and infrastructure to strengthen the tourism industry in the country.

In a Cabinet meeting that he presided virtually, Marcos noted how Singapore fared in the tourism sector even with limited natural resources.

He said the city-state showed how policy and infrastructure are “so important” in giving a boost to tourism.

“That means that it can be done. We just have to support the plan to develop all of these enabling environment – the policy, conditions, and infrastructure,” Marcos told his Cabinet.

Marcos also noted that the equivalent of ease of doing business in tourism includes “ease of getting here, getting around, arranging for tours, getting drivers… finding a hotel.”

The chief executive also discussed how healthcare facilities in big tourist destinations like Boracay could be improved as he cited the arrangement implemented in beaches in Hawaii and Thailand.

“[Sa] beach, maraming police and everything…So, if anything happens along that stretch, meron silang tatakbuhan kaagad. The lifeguards know exactly where to bring them,” he said. “That is supported by the local industry. Toka-toka sila, to keep a doctor there, to keep a nurse there.”

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco said the Philippines is “certainly not at a disadvantage” with regard to the availability of natural resources and wealth of talent as well as products and people.

“But certainly, many measures could be improved as far as policy regulations, both on the national and local level, and proper coordination – to be able to focus on the overall tourist experience from the time that he arrives to the point of entry to the time that he gets to his point of destination,” Frasco said, noting that Singapore has “really mastered this.”

“Certainly, to benchmark their policies in this regard would be the direction that we would take per your instructions,” Frasco added. (PND)