MANILA –The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) entered into a formal agreement in a bid to create a strategic partnership between the two government bodies to support and implement the Katutubo-KAPWA project.
The Katutubo-KAPWA project is a nationwide initiative which will enjoin support for the indigenous cultural communities/indigenous peoples (ICCs/IPs) in tourism development, covering destinations and IP communities in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
During the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between DOT and NCIP, represented by its Chair Allen A. Capuyan, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said that it is the department’s firm commitment to honor the indigenous peoples of the country by giving them opportunities for economic advancement through tourism.
“We subscribe to the belief that in honoring the origins of the Philippines and the Filipino people, we strengthen the Filipino brand, we enrich the Filipino identity, and we give our fellow Filipinos a necessary and timely reminder that there is indeed so much to love about the Philippines, and that starts with ourselves, the Filipino people, including our indigenous peoples. Which is why the Department of Tourism has sought this partnership with the NCIP because we sincerely wish to manifest our firm commitment to honoring our indigenous peoples and giving them opportunities for economic advancement through tourism,” Secretary Frasco said.
“This is a happy and historic day for both the Department of Tourism and NCIP as we have formalized our commitment to support the good work that the NCIP has done to ensure the preservation and promotion of the indigenous peoples of the Philippines,” she added.
The Tourism Department also confirms that the Office of Special Concerns (OSC) under the Office of the Secretary (OSEC) will lead the initiative to target the gaps and needs of each destinations such as the lack of tourism skills and competencies among IPs involved in tourism activities, and essential infrastructure, among others. A Technical Working Group (TWG) will also be created composed of representatives from DOT and NCIP to monitor and oversee its implementation.
Meanwhile, NCIP Chair Capuyan said that they are grateful to the DOT for the said partnership.
“It is our honor and privilege to be partnering with the Department of Tourism in the implementation of our Katutubo-KAPWA project, which aims to involve the indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples in tourism development,” he said.
“We hope that this will pave the way for a more stable and secure future,” he added.
Among the important commitments of the DOT from the partnership include the provision of financial support to tourism-related capacity building/capacity development, infrastructure projects, product development, and other tourism-related programs activities, and projects to eligible and interested ICCs/IPs that will help improve their socio-economic status as well as for the development and promotion of their ancestral domains; assistance and funding for the identified tourism-related projects of the ICCs/IPs for enterprise, livelihood, and jobs creation with the support of the DOT’s attached agencies to help reduce the country's unemployment and alleviate poverty while boosting the tourism industry.
The DOT has also committed to providing assistance and promotional platforms for the products of the ICCs/IPs to attract tourists to patronize the local tourism economy.
