By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo / Special to the BusinessMirror
A done deal.
Despite the loud opposition from stakeholders to his appointment, actor Cesar Montano took his oath of office on Tuesday as a member of the Board of Directors at the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB). It is expected that he would assume the post of COO of the marketing agency, a government-owned and -controlled corporation, attached to the Department of Tourism (DOT).
Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo administered the oath of office to Montano on Tuesday morning at the DOT building in Makati City. “It’s a done deal,” said a ranking DOT source, who was aware of the opposition to Montano’s appointment within the agency and among private tourism stakeholders.
The TPB, however, confirmed that the board of directors’ meeting, where Montano is supposed to be elected as COO, has been moved to January 2017, instead of December 15. “The TPB meeting was reset to January 2017 as per directive of Secretary Teo,” said an agency official, who requested anonymity. Teo will be in Cambodia as a member of President Duterte’s delegation. (Update as of 11:34 pm: A just-released memorandum sent by the office of Secretary Teo to TPB Board members late Tuesday afternoon has set the TPB board meeting to Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016.)
Meanwhile, in a statement sent via text to the BusinessMirror, Montano said: “I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to President Duterte for my appointment to the office of the Tourism Promotions Board.”
He added that after taking his oath of office on Tuesday, he and Teo “had a productive meeting regarding the agency’s programs. I am confident that with the collaboration of the entire tourism department, we will be able to fulfill our goal of doubling our tourist arrivals.”
Montano also stressed that: “I personally believe that it will not be difficult to promote our country, knowing fully well that we are blessed with a rich nation that is known for unparalleled hospitality. This makes our country a world-class tourist destination.”
Under the new National Tourism Development Plan from 2016 to 2022, the DOT is targetting to attract 12 million visitor arrivals by the end of Duterte’s term of office, from 6 million arrivals this year.
Well-placed government sources said several phone calls from Malacañang were made to Teo following up on the implementation of Montano’s appointment to the TPB, which the DOT had received in the first week of December. “Siguro nagsusumbong sya [Montano] sa Malacañang, bakit ’di pa sya nag-oath-taking [Maybe he was complaining to Malacañang, asking why he wasn’t yet being given his oath of office],” the same sources said.
The sources also added that there seemed to be some confusion on the actor’s exact scope of powers while he has yet to be confirmed as COO by the TPB Board of Directors. “Aside from the Malacañang appointment as TPB board of director, the DOT also received an order saying that [Montano] would take over from [former COO] Chicoy Enerio.”
The said directive, however, stopped short of saying Montano was appointed actually as COO, since Malacañang is aware that there is a process to be followed in electing the head of the agency, the same sources explained.
On the part of the DOT, agency officials were firm in saying Montano cannot issue any orders or directives at the TPB, unless the board actually elects him as COO. “He can go there and use his office already, but unless he is confirmed as COO, he cannot issue any orders yet,” said an official, who asked not to be named as he had no authority to speak on the matter.
Under Republic Act 9353, otherwise known as the Tourism Act of 2009, the TPB “shall be responsible for marketing and promoting the Philippines domestically and internationally as a major global tourism destination, highlighting the uniqueness and assisting the development of its tourism products and services, with the end in view of increasing tourist arrivals and tourism investments. Specifically, it shall market the Philippines as a major convention destination in Asia. To this end, it shall take charge of attracting, promoting, facilitating, and servicing large-scale events, international fairs and conventions, congresses, sports competitions, expositions and the like. It shall, likewise, ensure the regular advertisement abroad of the country’s major tourism destinations and other tourism products….”
Image credits: Photo courtesy the office of Cesar Montano