Palace mum on Teo’s foreign trips
Malacañang was tight-lipped on a report by The STAR that a make-up artist and utility clerks joined Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo in her foreign trips in the last two years.
“Please discuss with her directly,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in an online message yesterday when asked to react to the report, which was published in the front page of The STAR yesterday.
Roque did not reply when told that he was being asked to react because of President Duterte’s policy against costly travels.
Duterte has fired several officials over unnecessary travels, even promising to implement a “starvation diet” on foreign trips in the executive branch this year.
The President has cited what he described as “dead wood” officials who could no longer sign papers because they are often out of the country. He also vowed to look into the travels of officials in the executive branch and to fire those who leave the country every month.
Yesterday, The STAR reported that Teo was accompanied by a make-up artist and office clerks during her trips to various countries in 2016 and 2017.
The tourism chief went to the United Arab Emirates, Italy, UK, Russia, Japan, US and Canada during those years to attend “international travel fairs and conduct inventory of Department of Tourism foreign offices.”
Utility workers identified as Allan Alcid, Lia Insigne and Butch Berrei were with Teo during her Dubai trip, documents obtained by The STAR showed.
A make-up artist identified as Angelito Ucol and his assistant Marinela Miranda also joined Teo in her domestic and international trips.
A utility worker named Tonton Tabanera traveled to Taiwan while messenger Marcelino Medina joined a group that went to Japan.
Drivers Michael Buenaventura and Pacifico Dolfo, utility worker Lourdes Ocsan, clerk Nilo David and Ma. Cristina Isorena of the legislative liaison office rode a Star Cruises ship while a clerk named Exequiel Erfelo traveled to Cambodia.
An executive assistant named Nanette Saludo joined a trip to Japan while Jennifer Olba, officer-in-charge of the legal department, was on several foreign trips with composite teams of the agency.
Various tourism personnel also traveled to Russia, UK, France, US, Italy and Australia.
The DOT kept mum on the issues surrounding the trips.
In a text message, DOT Assistant Secretary and Spokesman Ricky Alegre said he could not comment when asked by The
STAR about Teo’s trips. “Sorry, can’t talk right now,” Alegre responded to The STAR as he also did not answer calls yesterday afternoon.
He also did not reply to The STAR when asked if the agency would conduct an investigation on the travel orders.
Teo, on the other hand, administered the oath taking of new members during the general membership meeting of the Philippine Tour Operators Association at the City Garden Grand Hotel in Makati City.
The events attended by Teo and Alegre were not disclosed to the media.