The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod is encouraging all restaurants in Bacolod City to be accredited with the Department of Tourism.
The resolution, authored by Councilor Israel Salanga, said the DOT is accrediting restaurants as secondary tourism enterprises pursuant to Republic Act 9593, or the Tourism Act of 2009.
Section 40 of RA 9593 states that “only accredited enterprises shall be beneficiaries of promotional, training and other programs of the DOT and its attached agencies and corporation,” it said.
The resolution said the DOT cannot promote or help the best restaurants of the city because most of them have no accreditation from the agency.
As the intention of the city government is to make Bacolod one of the top international food destinations, there is a need to encourage restaurants to apply and secure accreditation from the DOT so they can be promoted internationally and can avail of trainings and other programs offered to accredited enterprises, it added.*CGS