Question & AnswerQ&A (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1463)
The short title of Presidential Decree No. 1463 is the Revised Charter of the Department of Tourism.
The policy is to make the tourist industry a positive instrument towards accelerated national development to attract visitors and to foster pride and commitment among Filipinos for their country's natural beauty, history, and culture.
The Department of Tourism is created as the primary policy, planning, programming, coordinating, and administrative entity for the development of the tourist industry.
The Department administers, coordinates, and supervises government activities relating to tourism; removes travel barriers; formulates promotion programs; represents the government in tourism conferences; licenses and regulates tourism-related establishments and services; formulates standards; imposes administrative penalties; conducts investigations; issues summons; punishes contempt; enlists aid of other agencies; and performs other functions provided by law.
The Department is headed by the Secretary of Tourism and assisted by one Undersecretary.
It consists of the Department Proper (which includes the Secretary’s office, Planning Service, Financial and Management Service, Administrative Service, Legal Service) and two bureaus: the Bureau of Tourism Promotion and the Bureau of Tourism Services.
The Secretary establishes the internal organization, advises the President, sets policies and standards, promulgates rules and regulations, supervises bureaus and offices, delegates authority, and performs other legally provided functions.
This bureau organizes programs for public relations, advertising, promotion, and publicity to inform, attract, and encourage domestic and foreign tourism in the Philippines.
After notice and hearing, fines up to P10,000 may be imposed, and licenses or permits suspended or revoked for violations of the Decree, rules, regulations, circulars, or orders issued by the department.
They may face imprisonment from six months to two years, fines from P2,000 to P10,000, automatic revocation of their license or permit, and forfeiture of cash or surety bonds.
They face imprisonment from one to six years or fines from P4,000 to P20,000 or both, at the discretion of the court.
The penalty is imposed on the officers responsible for the violation, and if the officer is an alien, he may be deported without further proceedings.
The Civil Aeronautics Board, the Philippines Tourism Authority, and the Philippine Convention Bureau.
The Department can conduct investigations, hearings, and inquiries; issue summons and subpoenas; examine witnesses; access records and premises; impose fines; and enforce compliance with rules and orders.
It provides services related to planning, programming, and project development and formulates immediate and long-range plans and priorities for tourism development.