Pursuant to the authority vested in the Department of Tourism under Executive Order No. 120 and in line with the Department ™s thrust to ensure the safe and convenient travel and stay of both local and foreign tourists, the Rules and Regulations to Govern the Accreditation of Mountain Guides are hereby amended to read, as follows:

Chapter I
Definition
Section 1. Definition of Terms. - When used in these rules, the following terms shall, unless the context otherwise indicates, have the following meaning:

a. Mountaineering - shall mean the pursuit of activities related to mountain and wilderness areas such as trekking, backpacking, orienteering, mountain exploration, rock climbing and river trailing;

b. Trekking - shall mean walking on different terrains for short period of time, i.e., one hour to one (1) day;

c. Backpacking - shall mean walking on mountain and wilderness trails over an extended period of time, i.e., two (2) or more days;

d. Orienteering - shall mean the discipline of working with maps and compass to complete a set course, passing through several control points in a pre-determined amount of time;

e. Mountain Exploration - shall mean the discipline of finding and establishing new routes and trails up a certain mountain;

f. Rock Climbing - shall mean the discipline of overcoming rock walls and natural obstacles in order to attain a certain objective;

g. River Trailing - shall mean a variant of backpacking wherein the trail used are rivers and streams without resorting to the use of boats and kayaks and canyoning skills;

h. Mountain Guide - shall mean an individual who guides tourists, both foreign and domestic, to mountains and wilderness areas which have been identified by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and/or other concerned agencies, both government and private as suitable for tourism and recreational purposes, for a fee, commissions or any other form of lawful remuneration;

i. Soft Skills - shall mean skills and information needed in the areas of risk management, client care, first aid and general information on geography, flora and fauna, astronomy, Philippine history and culture, historical events, locations and festivities, as well as climb preparation, route planning and logistical needs.

j. Department - the Department of Tourism.

k. Accreditation - a certification issued by the Department that the holder is recognized by the Department as having complied with its minimum standards in pursuit of mountaineering activities.

Chapter II
Standard Requirements for Accreditation of Mountain Guides
Section 2. Who May Apply. - A resident Filipino citizen or a permanent resident alien who is at least eighteen years of age, physically and mentally fit, and of good moral character may qualify for accreditation.

Section 3. Requirements for Issuance of Accreditation. - An applicant for accreditation as mountain guide shall submit/comply with the following:

a. A certification issued by the Mountain Guides Association of the Philippines, Inc. (MGAPI) or any other duly recognized mountaineering clubs/organization by the Department of Tourism that the applicant has been trained and tested as having met the minimum technical and œsoft  skills necessary for responsible mountaineering, has the equipment as well as the experience in guiding others to mountains and wilderness areas;

b. Certificate of good health issued by any duly licensed physician;

c. Valid clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation;

d. Proof that the applicant has passed a tour guiding seminar for mountaineering duly conducted by the Department or any mountaineering organization duly authorized by the Department to conduct the seminar;

e. Valid visa from the Bureau of Immigration and the proper permit from the Department of Labor and Employment, in the case of permanent resident alien;

f. Certificate of training on basic life support from the Philippine National Red Cross or its equivalent institution;

g. Such other requirements that the Department may require from time to time.

Section 4. Issuance of Accreditation and Identification Card. - Upon compliance with all the requirements of the preceding section, a certificate of accreditation and an identification card shall be issued upon payment of ONE HUNDRED FIFTY (P150.00) PESOS and THIRTY (P30.00) PESOS, respectively, and shall be valid for a period of one (1) year from the date of issuance thereof.

Chapter III
Grounds for Cancellation of Accreditation
Section 5. Grounds for Cancellation of Accreditation. - Any of the following acts, omissions or circumstances shall be sufficient ground for the cancellation of accreditation:

a. Making any false declaration or statement or making use of any such declaration or statement or any document containing the same or committing fraud or any act of misrepresentation for the purpose of obtaining the grant of accreditation.

b. Failure to maintain the standards and requirements for accreditation as prescribed in these Rules;

c. Violation of or non-compliance with any of the provisions of these Rules, promulgated orders, decisions and circulars issued by the Department and other concerned government agencies;

d. Conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude or any overt act of dishonesty, misrepresentation, or misconduct;

e. Any cause which disqualifies the grantee by reason of physical or mental incapacity or which otherwise renders the accreditation unnecessary or immaterial; and

f. Any other act or omission inimical to the interest of the tourism industry.

Chapter IV
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 6. Separability Clause. - The provisions of these Rules are hereby declared separable, and in the event that said provisions or any part thereof are declared invalid, the validity of all the other provisions shall not be affected thereby.

Section 7. Repealing Clause. - All existing rules and regulations and circulars issued by the Department of Tourism which are inconsistent with the provisions of these Rules and Regulations are hereby repealed and superseded accordingly.

Section 8. Effectivity. - These amended Rules and Regulations shall take effect immediately.

For the guidance of all concerned.

Adopted: 09 June 1999

(SGD.) GEMMA CRUZ-ARANETA
Secretary

Attested by:

(SGD.) EVELYN B. PANTIG, CESO I
Undersecretary