Tourism execs ordered to report to DOT chief’s office

MANILA — Tourism Secretary Bernadette RomuloPuyat has confirmed that several high-ranking tourism officials were asked to report directly to her office.

“There were some [undersecretaries] and [assistant secretaries] that I asked to [report] directly to my office what I can do to department because I want to review their accomplishments and what they can do for the department,” Puyat told reporters on the sidelines of the Makati Business Club annual meeting last Tuesday.

Puyat issued Department Order 45 last June 13. The order indicated that the following officials were asked to report to the Department of Tourism chief’s office: Undersecretaries Katherine De Castro, Alma Rita Jimenez, and Marco Bautista; and Assistant Secretaries Frederick Alegre, Daniel Angelo Mercado, Maria Lourdes Japon, and Arlene Mancao.

These tourism officials were appointed by resigned tourism chief Wanda Tulfo-Teo.

"The above-mentioned officials shall perform the functions, duties and responsibilities inherent to the assignment and such others as may be directed by the secretary,” the department order obtained by Philstar.com read.

In line with this directive, Puyat assigned returning DOT official Art Boncato Jr. as undersecretary for tourism regulation, coordination and resource generation and chief of staff, replacing Jimenez.

Puyat also appointed career official Reynaldo Ching as the officer-in-charge undersecretary for administration and special concerns to temporarily replace Bautista.