Lawmakers ask DOT to raise 2017 budget

THE senate finance committee holding hearings on the 2017 budget allocation has raised questions about the reason for slashing the allocation for the Department of Tourism by 32 percent from the 2016 allocation of P3.66 billion.

Considering that the DOT is targeting to attract some 6.5 million foreign tourists besides some 73.3 million domestic travelers in 2017, the senate president pro-tempore, Franklin Drilon, said he had expected DOT to ask for an increase in next year’s budget.