THE TCC is a flagship program of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in collaboration with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) which aims to empower local government units (LGUs) through tourism infrastructure projects geared towards the improvement and enhancement of our local tourism industry.
A brainchild of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco as a former local chief executive of Liloan town in Cebu prior to being handpicked by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to serve the national post as tourism chief, the project is envisioned to bring a local perspective to the national government, and make governance more inclusive by involving the grassroots.
“Before joining the cabinet, I was mayor of Liloan in Cebu. I was elected to my third term in 2022, with no expectation at all of joining national government, but when given the opportunity to serve our country, I made sure not to forget where I came from – that is from the ground, from the grassroots, from the local government, cognizant of the challenge that local chief executives face in matching their vision with their budget. And that is why when I joined the Department of Tourism, I made sure to bring a local perspective to the national government, to bring to the forefront the challenges that local chief executives face in opening up opportunities for tourism within their destinations,” Secretary Frasco said.
“And having been mayor myself, I know from experience that without proper tourism infrastructure, we cannot hope to even begin to develop our tourism destinations, which is precisely why what the Tourism Champions Challenge aims to do is to spread tourism infrastructure development across the country, in a manner that is aligned with our President’s vision on one hand, and on the other hand, that supports your own vision for your destinations,” she added.
