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)
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