By Johnny Dayang
It may be a surprise but the appointment of Bernadette Romulo-Puyat as new Tourism Secretary contrasts sharply with her predecessor, Wanda Tulfo-Teo in terms of their preparedness for public office.
It is understandable that Tulfo-Teo was appointed at a time when President Rodrigo Duterte was in a quandary as to who he would install in sensitive cabinet positions. Wanda’s brothers are good friends of the President.
Like Duterte and the Tulfos, Ms. Romulo-Puyat, the widow of the late lawyer David Puyat, is also from Davao. She becomes the fourth lady Cabinet secretary from Davao region.
Ms. Romulo-Puyat’s father, former Senator Alberto Romulo, hailed from Tarlac but married a Davaoeña. He also previously served as Executive Secretary, Finance Secretary, Budget Secretary, Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) chairman, and chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. He was responsible for inserting ‘Garden’ in the Island Garden City of Samal.
Her mother, Rose Lovely Tecson-Romulo is from Davao City. She is my colleague in the Board of the Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) Foundation. During the Arroyo presidency, she chaired the National Council in Disability Affairs.
Outside of her pedigree qualifications, Ms. Romulo-Puyat also possesses extensive bureaucratic experiences. Prior to her new post, she was Agriculture Undersecretary for Administration, Agribusiness and Marketing. Under the Arroyo administration, she was DA Undersecretary for Special Concerns and served as consultant at the Presidential Management Staff. She is thus very familiar with the executive department of government.
She eloquently revealed her gutsiness to pursue what is required in public office when she said in her recent first media briefing: “President Duterte told me, ‘No corruption; review all contracts; everything must be transparent and must go through bidding.”
To set her DoT leadership tone, she had asked the courtesy resignations of key appointews by Teo and ordered movie actor Cesar Montano to explain reports about his alleged inappropriate actions as head of the Tourism Promotions Board.
It’s not just beauty and brains Ms. Romulo-Puyat brings to tourism. Her initial pronouncements suggest transparent policy directions for the DoT. Tourism stakeholders, particularly those in Boracay have reasons to be happy. They feel they are in safer hands, and expect a truly global Filipino agenda.
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Congratulations the deserving winners in the recent Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections. We likewise commiserate with their constituents of the undeserving winners.
