Tag: Bernadette Romulo Puyat

Tourism Secretary Romulo-Puyat to undergo self-quarantine

(Eagle News) — Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat has announced she would be going on self-quarantine. In a statement on Friday, March 27, this was since Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Felimon Santos Jr. tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019. She said she was in a meeting with Santos on March 20. According to Puyat, she will, however, forego undergoing the COVID-19 test since she was not currently exhibiting any symptoms “to save […]

DOT: Boracay rehabilitation to be completed by December 2019

(Eagle News)– Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on Thursday, Sept. 13, said it will take a year before Boracay is completely rehabilitated. Speaking before the hearing on the Tourism department’s proposed P3.39-billion budget for 2019, Puyat said although there would be a soft opening of the island on Oct. 26, this covered only Phase 1 of the rehabilitation, which includes the construction of major roads. She said Phase 2 will have hopefully been completed by April 2019, […]

DOT’s La Viña transferred to agriculture department

Other appointments announced (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has made new appointments. Tourism Undersecretary Jose Gabriel “Pompee” La Viña is now an undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture, taking the post left vacant by Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, who is now head of the tourism department. La Viña was Social Security System commissioner before he was transferred to the Department of Tourism amid allegations of corruption against him. He has denied the allegations, saying they were part […]

3 Cabinet execs, several others get CA nod

(Eagle News) — Three Cabinet members and several others were confirmed by the Commission on Appointments on Wednesday, May 30. Confirmed as Tourism, Justice and Agrarian Reform secretaries, respectively, were Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Menardo Guevarra and John Castriciones. Puyat was appointed to head the tourism department after Wanda Teo resigned over a P60-million advertisement placement deal. Guevarra was also appointed following the resignation of Vitaliano Aguirre III, who faced public indignation over a Department of Justice’s panel […]

TPB chief Cesar Montano resigns

(Eagle News)–Tourism Promotions Board Chief Operating Officer Cesar Montano has resigned. Montano’s resignation, which he said was “effective immediately,” took place after the TPB was criticized for the “Buhay Carinderia” project. The TPB had supposedly paid P80 million–or  90 percent of the total sponsorship deal–to advertisement agency Marylindbert International despite the project only being 15 percent completed. Montano recommended officials Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat could select from as TPB officer in charge: Maricon Ebron, officer in […]

Montano: It was Teo who pushed for “Buhay Carinderia” project

(Eagle News)—-Tourism Promotions Board Chief Operating Officer Cesar Montano on Friday, May 18, said it was then-Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo who introduced him to the owner of the marketing agency behind the controversial “Buhay Carinderia” program. In an interview over dzbb, Montano said apart from introducing Erlinda Legaspi of MaryLindbert International as a “friend,” it was also Teo who pushed for the payment of P80 million in just a month to the marketing agency even […]

Tourism chief Puyat to suspend “Buhay Carinderia” program, other DOT projects that did not undergo bidding

(Eagle News)– Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on Thursday, May 18, said she would suspend the conduct of the “Buhay Carinderia” project of the Tourism Promotions Board, and other projects that did not undergo any bidding. In a press conference, she said that she has asked TPB Cesar Montano, whom she met on Wednesday evening, to submit to her a list of all projects. She said she has already written the  Commission on Audit for it […]

Tourism Assistant Secretary Alegre resigns

(Eagle News) — Tourism Assistant Secretary Ricky Alegre has resigned. In a letter addressed to President Rodrigo Duterte, Alegre said the “courtesy resignation” was to give newly appointed Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat the “free hand to determine who would be allowed to continue to serve in the said department.” Earlier, Puyat asked all 10 undersecretaries and secretaries to submit their courtesy resignations. In the letter dated May 15, Alegre said when he accepted the post […]

Bernadette Romulo-Puyat takes oath as new Tourism chief

(Eagle News) — Former Agriculture Undersecretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat took her oath as the new Tourism secretary on Monday, May 14. According to a news release from Malacanang, Romulo-Puyat was accompanied by her daughter and parents during the oath-taking ceremonies in the Palace that were not open for media coverage. The ceremonies came hours after President Rodrigo Duterte skipped the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections because all the candidates, according to the President, were his friends […]

Senators laud President Duterte’s choice of new tourism chief

(Eagle News)—–Senators had nothing but praises for President Rodrigo Duterte’s choice of Tourism Secretary, following the resignation of Wanda Teo over the P60-million ad placement controversy. “She is an excellent choice. She has the academic and professional credentials,” Senator Grace Poe said of Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, who was named tourism head on Tuesday, May 8. According to Poe, Romulo-Puyat “made it a point to promote the different provinces she visited, and showcase local food products; even the indigenous craftsmanship […]

New DOT head: Duterte directive was to ensure no corruption in tourism department

(Eagle News)—-No corruption. This, according to newly named Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, was the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte when he offered her the post vacated by Wanda Teo. In a television interview, Romulo-Puyat, an agriculture undersecretary, said the offer was made on Tuesday, May 8. “Trabaho kasi, normal trabaho. Trabaho pinag-uusapan namin. Tapos biglang binanggit niya na, ‘Uy, alam mo bang nag-resign si Secretary Teo?… O gusto mo ba? Kasi bagay sa ‘yo. Your […]

Duterte appoints Bernadette Romulo-Puyat as new Tourism secretary

(Eagle News)—President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Agriculture Undersecretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat as head of the Department of Tourism. Special Assistant to the President Secretary Bong Go confirmed the appointment of Romulo-Puyat in a message to Palace reporters on Tuesday night. Her appointment comes after Wanda Teo resigned over the P60-million ad placement controversy that hounded the tourism department. The Commission on Audit red-flagged the project that saw advertisements being placed in the program of Teo’s brothers […]