19th Lakbay Pilipinas (PTAA General Meeting 2015)

“It’s a shame!”, Duterte said as he addressed those whom they considered themselves frequent travelers but who have not gone to Davao. He asked members of Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) to be honest and answer this: “Who have gone to Davao City?”, almost all of the participants to the PTAA 4th General Membership Meeting and 19th Lakbay Pilipinas raised high their hands. It was then like laying a predicate of his next statement and so his story of Davao went on.

Duterte highlight his article of faith by saying: I am a Filipino, duty bound to protect the citizens, and believed it as a condition sine quanon for any development; tourism is one example. Duterte said, at this time, there are places in Mindanao that cannot be reached by travelers without posing risks to their lives.


He took the blame of endless conflicts in some areas that dated back to the time of the Spanish regime. He said, some Muslims never even dared to admit they are Filipinos. They only knew they were Muslims. What the people should consider as pressing concern he said is the penultimate transformation of this country to become a federal government, that is giving more power to the federal states.

Duterte braved to admit he shared the same horizon with the New People’s Army but said they must maintain distance with local and foreign tourists. Duterte lamented and did not avoid to make some comparisons that those in NCR areas, mayors only kept minding their concerns on criminality. For his part as the longest serving mayor in Davao, he has to deal with the MILF, MNLF, and the NPAs. Duterte said as a parting shot that his style is an open secret. His hard stance against criminals has earned for his city as the safest in the country today.

Davao City is the largest city in the world in terms of land area but deemed as the most livable, most competitive, child-friendly, most clean and green and a hall of famer in the Kalakbay Awards given by the Department of Tourism.

Davao City is considered as the convention city in the south and for many times a recipient of destination of the year, during the incumbency of Mayor Duterte.

by Roldan Gorgonio


The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) is an organization born out of a union of the national associations of outbound travel agencies and inbound tour operators in 1979. It was founded to foster unity in the travel industry and to promote the welfare of its members and the traveling public. PTAA is a strong force that plays a vital role both in the national and international scenes.

PTAA with more than 500 members, is the most prestigious Association in the country widely recognized by international airlines, hotels, resorts, insurance, and cruise companies, works closely with government agencies, namely the Department of Tourism, Department of Foreign Affairs, Tourism Promotion Board, Bureau of Immigration, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, National Census and Statistics Office and various embassies and consulates.

The set-up of the whole organization includes the General Membership, the Board of Trustees, committees and the Secretariat.

The General Membership is composed of Regular, Allied, Associate, Affiliate and Allied International members admitted to the membership by the Board of Trustees.

The Board of Trustees serves as the governing body of the Association and is composed of fifteen (15) trustees, duly elected by the regular members of the Association during Elections held within any working day in November. The immediate Past President sits on the board as an ex-officio member but without the right to vote. The Board meets regularly every 1st Thursday of the month.

The Board of Trustees has ten (10) working committees grouped under the Office of the President, the Executive Vice President, the Vice President for Outbound and Vice President for Inbound. These groups and committees are so organized to assist in the formulation and implementation of policies, plans and programs.

On the other hand, the Secretariat, which was institutionalized in 1985, is considered the nerve center of all association affairs. It is the administrative, information and service center of the whole association.

Davao City Events Feature 1:08 AM