CEBU CITY – The increasing cases of tourists
online booking scam has raised alarming concerns among the owners of hotels and
resorts in Cebu with nearly 200 online booking scams reported, totaling more
than P1.229M amount scammed in 2025, as the Department of Tourism (DOT)-Region
VII reported at the launching of the Cebu and Bohol “Turista Iwas Scam”
campaign, March 24 at Parklane International Hotel in Cebu City, in
collaboration with the Hotel and Resorts Association in Cebu (HRRAC), PNP-Regional
Anti-Cyber Crime Unit (RACU-7) and other tourism stakeholders in Central
Visayas.
“For the past two days alone, more than 200,000
local and some foreign tourists that arrived in Bantayan Island resorts that
don’t have bookings, not listed, because they went to the wrong or fake
Facebook accounts. Some are crying and
they really felt bad that they were scammed which broke my heart,” Nelson
Yuvallos, president, One Island Tourism Association in Bantayan Island and
owner of Anika Island Resort in Santa Fe, Bantayan Island shared his experience
at the Turista Iwas Scam launching event.
Yuvallos said that digital scam threat in
tourism is really alarming and he raised an emotional appeal to the government
and urged Congress to enact a law to stop Facebook scams; strengthen laws to
counter online tourism scams and rapid takedown technology as essential part of
effective law enforcement.
DOT-7 OIC-regional director, Gelena Asis-Dimpas
said that the Turista Iwas Scam campaign aims to combat online fraud in
tourism, which has led to financial losses and operational disruptions.
“The initiative aims to raise public awareness,
promote verified booking platforms, and strengthen consumer confidence in
accredited establishments. Key strategies include technological prevention,
secure online payment channels, multi-sectoral coordination, education, and
enforcement,” Dimpas added.
The program emphasizes collaboration among
government agencies, law enforcement, the private sector, and media partners to
safeguard the tourism industry's integrity in Central Visayas, particularly in
Cebu and Bohol, she said.
In his opening message, PBGen Redrico Maranan
of the Philippine National Police (PNP) suggested action items such as to equip
local and international tourists with practical knowledge and tools to
recognize red flags, avoid prominent schemes and confidently navigate their
travel plans. Create a culture of
vigilance where scams have no place to try through continued partnership
between the community and the PNP.
Maranan, (whose message was read by PCol.
Enrico Figueroa, Chief, Regl Staff-PRO7) bared that the PNP has also received
numerous complaints about scams on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. He said that in response, the PNP, in
partnership with the Department of Tourism Region 7, launched a campaign
focused on prevention, awareness, and public empowerment.
A
proposed law in Congress to address digital scam threat in the tourism industry
One important take away at the launching was
the presentation of a draft law proposal by Atty. Cenelyn Manguilimotan Dalnay,
Tourism Chair, European Chamber of Commerce (ECCP), HRRAC BOT and Commissioner,
Cebu City Tourism Commission (CCTC) called the “Hotel & Resort Online
Booking Anti-Scam Act” to be filed with Congress to address gaps in consumer
protection, regulation, oversight, & dispute resolution for online
transactions in the tourism industry.
According to Atty. Dalnay, she reviewed The
Internet Transaction Act of 2023 and the Anti-Phishing Act of 2024 and noted
gaps in consumer protection and the need for a dedicated e-Commerce Bureau
under the DTI.
“The proposed measures include a mandatory
official channels registry, rapid takedown mechanisms, payment protection
measures, and evidence preservation. The goal is to complement existing laws
like Internet Transaction Act and the Anti-Phishing Act to enhance enforcement,
and establish an inter-agency task force to address digital scams affecting
tourism and hospitality,” Dalnay shared.
She added that the proposed Hotel and Resort
Online Booking Anti-Scam Act with Congress addresses gaps in consumer
protection, regulation, oversight, and dispute resolution for online
transactions in the tourism industry.
Establish a mandatory official channels
registry for hotels, resorts, and tourism-facing establishments under the
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and create a rapid takedown and
preservation mechanism where hotels, resorts, and victims can submit verified
complaints of fraud to online platforms, which must take down the fraudulent
content within 24-48 hours and preserve the evidence during the appeal process
Require payment providers, digital wallets, and
payment service providers to implement fraud detection measures, provide a
standardized victim reporting lane, and enable rapid escalation process for
suspended accounts. Mandate platforms
and payment service providers to preserve relevant records for a minimum
retention period and comply with subpoenas issued by competent authorities
during fraud investigations.
Include administrative penalties for
non-compliance with verification, takedown, and evidence preservation
requirements by platforms and payment service providers, and establish an
inter-agency task force between the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the
Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to coordinate
the implementation of the proposed act and provide standardized advisories to
the public on booking scams.
Yuvallos and Atty. Dalnay emphasized the
importance of the proposed law and the need for Congress to act quickly, as
they highlighted the role of the European Chamber of Commerce in drafting a
position paper to push the proposed law in Congress.
Yuvallos told Manila Standard that the proposed
law has already been given to some Cebu Congressmen. “We are appealing to the
Senators, Congressmen and the President to act immediately to help the tourism
industry in the country.” (Photos: MBCNewman)
