By Analou de Vera with a report from Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
Agriculture Undersecretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat yesterday vowed not to disappoint President Duterte who has appointed her as new Department of Tourism Secretary.
“I’m honored and overwhelmed that he actually thought of me and thought of getting me in this position. I will not disappoint him,” said Puyat who added that Duterte had one instruction when he offered her the job – no corruption.
She said that she is planning to focus on farm tourism which she has been working with the DoT.
“We’ve been working with the Department of Tourism and we’ve been working with them with regards to farm tourism, might as well continue it and also Madrid Fusion,” she said.
“We should continue what programs are already working and what I’m familiar with,” she added.
Puyat, who has been working with the Department of Agriculture for 12 years, said that she was surprised that the President offered her the DoT position during a meeting last Tuesday in Malacañang.
“I couldn’t believe it because we have a meeting in Malacañang and we were talking about agriculture – I was updating him on the right situation and then he suddenly asked me,” said Puyat. “I had no idea because I was there for the Department of Agriculture work. I had no idea,” she said.
Puyat replaced Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo who resigned amid the controversial advertisement placement on her brothers’ television program.
Meanwhile, Duterte has appointed former Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno Department of Social Welfare and Development Undersecretary.
Moreno’s new position came almost seven months after he resigned as chairman and chief executive officer of the North Luzon Railways Corp. for personal reasons.
His appointment paper was signed by Duterte last Tuesday. Moreno, Francisco Domagoso in real life and a former actor, served as vice mayor from 2007 to 2016.
