Palace wants tourists to come to Philippines for ‘right reasons’

Manila, Philippines—While the government wants millions of foreign tourists to come to come to its shores, Malacañang on Friday said that it wants travelers to be in the country “for the right reasons.”

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte made the remarks in reaction to US Ambassador Harry Thomas’ disclosure that four out of ten male foreign tourists come to the Philippines for sex.

“The Philippines is a beautiful country. Although we would like to see the number of tourist arrivals increase, we would want that our tourists, that our friends come here for the right reasons,” Valte said during a news briefing in Malacañang.

Valte said the government is aware of the sex tours happening in the country and that it has intensified its efforts against the trafficking of women and children.

“Even the US State Department has upgraded our status. From the watch list, we are now just in the Tier Two, (with the US) citing significant efforts of the administration in the past year to combat human trafficking,” Valte said.

She said the matter has been brought to the attention of the Department of Tourism and Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez is already addressing the situation.