DOT to release new rating system

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Tourism (DOT) will release a new star rating system by November this year to further elevate standards in the country’s tourism industry.

Tourism accreditation division officer-in-charge Maricor Guerrero said the rating system is in line with Republic Act 9593 or the Tourism Act of 2009 which mandates the DOT to enforce a system for the mandatory accreditation of primary tourism enterprises and voluntary accreditation of secondary tourism enterprises.

To implement the new star rating system for classifying hotels, resorts and apartment hotels, Guerrero said the DOT would invite practitioners from the tourism and hospitality sector to be part of a third-party audit.

“We would like to engage the services of a third party coming from the tourism industry to conduct the physical audit of the establishments to ensure integrity of the rating results. This will also ensure an impartial and competent rating system,” she said.

These practitioners, Guerrero said, would assist DOT in the conduct of inspection/on-site audit of accommodation facilities.

The DOT classifies hotels, resorts and apartelles as deluxe, first class and standard. Once the new system is implemented, these facilities would be rated based on criteria with corresponding points.

“They will now be classified as five, four or three stars,” she said.

After the selection and training of the third-party audit team, the DOT expects to undertake the physical audit of the establishments for two months.

“We hope to finish the audit by November,” she said, noting that the audit process would just be a pilot test.

After the pilot test, she said they would start charging the establishments higher fee. “Our charge is just P2,700 now. We will increase the fee once we implement the actual audit after the pilot test,” she added.

The audit, she said, would involve 737 establishments nationwide.

The DOT said some 65 private sector auditors with expertise and relevant background in the hospitality industry shall be engaged for the pilot program.