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MANILA – The Department of Tourism on Friday said it wants prices of goods standardized in tourist spots in Panglao, Bohol after tourists who recently visited Virgin Island there criticized the price of seafood sold along the shore.

In a now-viral Facebook post, a group of tourists showed they paid P26,000 for their meal.

• Overpriced? Netizens question price of seafood sold on Panglao island

Bohol Governor Aris Aumentado has ordered the immediate temporary suspension of trips to Panglao's Virgin Island as the local government investigates reports on the allegedly overpriced seafood.

• Bohol guv orders suspension of trips to Panglao's Virgin Island

“From our end, from the Department of Tourism, I have directed the formation of technical working group composed of various agencies of government for purposes of discussing the implementation of standards, including the standardization of pricing of goods in this destination,” Tourism Secretary Cristina Garcia Frasco told TeleRadyo.

• DOT probing alleged overpricing of food sold on Panglao island

“Nagfa-facilitate po tayo ng discussion (We are facilitating discussions) among the government agencies so that we can come up with a proactive solution to ensure na yung overall tourist experience natin in these destinations is really upheld,” she added.

Beyond this, however, Fracso said she wants tourism stakeholders to undergo training to improve the service they offer tourists.

“I have already directed our regional office of the DOT to conduct the Filipino brand of service trainings sa ating mga involved na stakeholders to make sure that makakabigay po tayo ng high level of standards as far as treating our tourists kasi, nakita po talaga natin na yung ating mga turista, whether they are local or international, sila talaga yung partners natin in recovery of the tourism industry.”

(I have already directed our regional office of the DOT to conduct the Filipino brand of service trainings for involved stakeholders to make sure that we can deliver a high level of standards as far as treating our tourists because we have seen that tourists, whether they are local or international, are our partners natin in recovery of the tourism industry.)

“But at the same time, partners din natin yung ating mga stakeholders kaya importante din po for us to reach out to them,” she stressed.

“And that is why we’re very optimistic na with these collaborative efforts that we are doing, both intergovernmental, with the LGUs as well as with our stakeholders, in the end, we will see an improvement as far as the overall tourist experience in our destinations, including the one in Bohol,” she said.

--TeleRadyo, 5 August 2022