The secretary of tourism is the head of the Department of Tourism (DOT), the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the regulation, planning, and promotion of the Philippine tourism industry. The secretary is a member of the Cabinet and serves as the principal adviser to the president of the Philippines on tourism policy.
The position was established on May 11, 1973, when President Ferdinand Marcos created the Department of Tourism through Presidential Decree No. 189. The current secretary is Verna Buensuceso, who assumed office on March 12, 2026 serving as OIC.
The position was created on May 11, 1973, through Presidential Decree No. 189, which established the Department of Tourism as a separate cabinet-level agency by splitting it from the former Department of Trade and Tourism. Jose Aspiras was appointed as the first secretary of tourism, serving from 1973 until the People Power Revolution in 1986âÂÂthe longest tenure of any tourism secretary at nearly 13 years.
Following the adoption of the 1973 Philippine Constitution, which introduced a semi-parliamentary structure, the position was retitled Minister of Tourism. This title remained in use until President Corazon Aquino issued Executive Order No. 120 on January 30, 1987, which provided that upon adoption of the new Constitution establishing a presidential system, "the Ministry shall be called Department of Tourism and the titles of Minister, Deputy Minister, and Assistant Minister shall be changed to Secretary, Undersecretary and Assistant Secretary, respectively."
The secretary's powers and responsibilities were substantially expanded and codified by Republic Act No. 9593, the Tourism Act of 2009, signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on May 12, 2009.
The secretary of tourism derives constitutional authority from Article VII, Section 16 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which provides that "The President shall nominate and, with the consent of the Commission on Appointments, appoint the heads of the executive departments."
The appointment process requires presidential nomination followed by confirmation by the Commission on Appointments, a constitutional body composed of senators and representatives. The nominee appears before the CA Committee on Tourism and Economic Development for deliberation before endorsement to the plenary for final confirmation. Appointments made while Congress is in recess are designated "ad interim" and lapse if not confirmed before adjournment, requiring renomination.
Cabinet secretaries are bound by Article VII, Section 13 of the Constitution, which prohibits them from holding other government offices or practicing any profession during their tenure.
Under Section 6 of Republic Act No. 9593, the secretary of tourism exercises authority over tourism policy and regulation. The secretary's functions include:
The Tourism Act of 2009 vests the secretary with extensive ex-officio positions across government bodies:
The secretary of tourism holds Salary Grade 31 under the Salary Standardization Law, equivalent to all Department Secretaries.
The secretary of tourism is not in the constitutional line of presidential succession, which under Article VII, Section 8 passes from the vice president to the Senate president to the speaker of the House.