IA: P17-M rebranding project aboveboard

The Department of Tourism (DOT)’s P17-million rebranding campaign for Intramuros is being implemented, contrary to the report of the Commission on Audit (COA), an official said yesterday.

Guiller Asido, administrator of the Intramuros Administration (IA), said they have started implementing the project dubbed “Promise and Possibilities in Intramuros.”

“It is being implemented. It was delayed because we needed to study it carefully,” Asido told The STAR.

“The project is going through proper procurement process. We are fully committed to implement it. We want make sure that everything is done aboveboard,” he said.

IA is an attached agency of the DOT.

Asido made the statement after the COA flagged the IA over the non-implementation of the project despite the release of the fund on Jan. 18, 2016.

He said the budget was requested on Dec. 1, 2015 by his predecessor to then tourism secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr.

“The fund was released to the IA on Jan. 18, 2016. By that time, there was an election ban and everything was in transition until the new administration,” Asido explained.

“From June 30, 2016 to March 22 last year, no administrator was appointed to implement the program. There was only an officer-in-charge and the recently resigned DOT secretary (Wanda Teo) did not convene the board of administrators. Only an OIC was designated who had limited powers,” he added.

Asido said he was appointed as IA administrator in the second quarter of 2017.