Laws Regulating Travel

and Tour Services

John Harvey Panlilio
Gadiel Lazo
Accreditation of Tour Guides
Section 9. requirements for issuance of accreditation. An
application for accreditation as a tour guide shall submit the
following:

(a.) Proof that the applicant has passed a seminar for tour guides
duly conducted by the DOT or other agencies duly authorized by
the Department to conduct the seminar; provided, however, that
his requirement may be waived by the Department where the
applicant possesses special academic or professional qualification
relevant to tourism;

(b.) Certificate of good health issued by any duly accredited

government physician
 Accreditation of Tour Guides
(c.) Clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation;
In the case of alien applicants, valid visa from Bureau of
Immigration and the proper permit for the Department of
Labor and Employment.

(d.) Mayor’s permit/municipal license

(e.) Latest income tax return; and

(f.) such other document that the Department may require

from time to time.
Accreditation of Tour Guides
The above are minimum requirements for
accreditation as a tour guide by the DOT. It is vital
that and accredited tour guide must have passed a
seminar for tour guides duly conducted by the DOT of
its duly authorized agencies.
Responsibilities of Business entities
engaged in Travel and Tour services
Travel agencies need to take necessary precaution by
exercising prudence due diligence at all times.

A tour guide is supposed to attend to the routinary

needs of the tourists, not only when the latter would
ask for the assistance but at the moment such need
become apparent.

Tour guides duty to see to it basic personal necessities

are provided.
Prohibition against engaging
in Recruitment activities
Article 26 (Labor code of the Philippines) Travel
agencies prohibited to recruit. Travel Agencies and
sales agencies of airline companies are prohibited
from engaging in the business of recruitment and
replacement of workers for overseas employment
whether for profit or not.
Prohibition against engaging
in Recruitment activities
In addition, the Rules and Regulations Governing Overseas
Employment provide the following who are disqualified to
participate in the recruitment and placement of filipino workers
overseas:

Travel agencies and sales agencies of airline companies;

Officers or members of the board of any corporation or members in a
partnership engaged in the business of travel agency;

Corporations and partnerships, when any of its officers, member of

the board or partner, is also an officer, member of the board or
partner of a corporation or partnership engaged in the business of a
travel agency (section 2, Rules and Regulation Governing overseas
employment)
E – Ticketing and E – Commerce
E – ticketing (ET) is one of the most significant
opportunities to reduce cost and improve passenger
convenience. It reduces ticket processing charges,
eliminates need the need for paper and allows greater
flexibility to the passenger and travel agent to make
changes in the itinerary
E – Ticketing and E – Commerce
Under the Republic Act no. 8792 (June 14, 2000) also
known as the Electronic Commerce Act, an
“electronic document” refers to information
representation of information, data figures, symbols
or other modes of written expression, described or
however represented, by which a right established or
an obligation extinguished, or by which fact may be
proved and affirmed, which is received, recorded,
transmitted, stored, processed, retrieved or produced
electronically (section 5. R.A. 8792)