STATEMENT BY THE
HONORABLE FREDERICK W. SIAO
Lone District of Iligan City
Vice Chair, Committee on Tourism
Member, Committees on Appropriations, Mindanao Affairs,
Youth & Sports Development, and 7 other committees
www.freddiesiao.com ILIGAN SOLON TO DOT: KEEP ADVENTURE SPORTS CENTERS SAFE FOR TOURISTS
Vice Chair of the House Committee on Tourism and former Sports Director of the City of Iligan Frederick W. Siao files House Bill 6424 or the Leisure and Adventure Extreme Sports Safety and Insurance Act to institutionalize safety measures and secure insurance coverages for all clients of theme parks or extreme sports facilities.
As vice chairman of the House committee on tourism, I urge the Department of Tourism to regulate and enforce minimum standards on safety and security at theme parks, including the adventure sports, extreme sports, and other sports tourism destinations, all over the country.
There have been fatal accidents involving domestic and foreign tourists who sought to experience thrills of the zip line, parasailing, river rafting, and skydiving, among others. (See references at the end of the statement)
Safety and security of our tourists must be assured. If the DOT does not have the personnel, it can certainly accredit competent and professional firms that can conduct the safety and security checks on its behalf.
Minimum Philippine standards must comply with globally-recognized standards.
This role of regulation and enforcing minimum standards cannot be left to local government units because there would be disparities from place to place and the standards regime would become nebulous that way.
The regulatory framework may also include a classification and ranking system that distinguishes between different operational scales, but sets a common core of standards.
A rapid response protocol must also be part of the regulatory system, so that when accidents occur there are accredited, properly trained, highly-experienced emergency personnel and units in place that will swiftly spring into action following a set of priorities and performance benchmarks.
With the yearend holidays coming soon, it is timely to urge the House Committee on Games & Amusements to prioritize House Bill 6424 which I filed to require operators of amusement or theme parks and adventure or extreme sports facilities to institutionalize safety measures and secure comprehensive general liability insurance coverage for all their clients.
Safety must be the number one priority of the operators of amusement or theme parks and adventure or extreme sports facilities. With the advent of the information age and the popularity of virtual games. amusement and sports activities have become hard core games to test the physical limits and imagination of the players, patrons, clients and other sports enthusiasts.
Amusement parks and adventure sports industries being highly dynamic, the operators continue to reinvent these enterprises. For instance, a world-renowned theme park in Sta. Rosa, Laguna is continuously innovating its facilities by transforming its amusement park into an integrated destination with a complete package for different groups that includes swimming, comfortable lodging, food and beverage, shopping, exhibits and conventions.
With the continuous technological advancement of amusement or theme parks and adventure or extreme sports facilities, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions emphasizes the need to strengthen the safety measures appurtenant to these activities.
Therefore, it becomes imperative to institutionalize the safety measures and make the procurement of comprehensive general liability insurance as one of the mandatory prerequisites for the operators so that clients may safely enjoy the amenities of amusement or theme parks and adventure or extreme sports facilities. (END)
REFERENCES:
http://accreditationonline.tourism.gov.ph/Standards.aspxhttp://newsinfo.inquirer.net/933438/police-zipline-accident-resort-los-banos-laguna-deadhttp://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/24/17/south-korean-man-dies-in-parasailing-accident-in-cebuhttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/video/qrt/146879/pastor-patay-nang-mabagsakan-ng-steel-stopper-ng-zipline-sa-antipolo/video/http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/regions/365804/body-of-tourist-in-cdo-white-water-rafting-accident-found/story/http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/ulatfilipino/236058/ust-student-patay-sa-skydiving-accident-sa-ormoc/story/:>Thanks for visiting our site<:
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Topic: Leisure and Adventure Extreme Sports Safety and Insurance Act (Read 685 times)