PH ready to welcome foreign tourists – Puyat

Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat speaks during the virtual recognition of Women Champions of Sustainability hosted by The Conrad Manila on August 16, 2021. (Screengrab from Conrad Manila’s YouTube video)

by Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat, Manila Bulletin

Government and the tourism private sectors declared the Philippines is ready to accept fully vaccinated foreign tourists from 157 visa-free countries starting Thursday, Feb. 10, even as hotel owners are asking for financial assistance to restart operations.

“We are as ready as we can be,” said Tourism Secretary BernadetteE Romulo-Puyat said at the Kapihan Sa Manila Bay virtual forum along with other key tourism stakeholders on Wednesday.

“These are exciting times for Philippine tourism. We have been ready since 2020; with the significant dwindling of new COVID cases, the Department of Tourism (DOT) can now push forward with our plans and programs for the full recovery of the Philippine Tourism industry. Those among you who follow developments in the travel and tourism sector know that tomorrow, February 10, we will begin the next chapter in the road to recovery,” said Romulo-Puyat

Benito “Bong” Bengzon, former DOT Undersecretary and executive director of the Philippine Hotel Owners Association, welcomed the country’s reopening, stressing this would provide them a lifeline after experiencing heavy financial losses almost two years into the pandemic.

However, Bengzon emphasized that the next 6 to 12 months would be difficult for the hotel owners as they restart and reopen operations. Thus, he raised the need for “financial assistance to tie us over the next 12 months.”

Bengzon said that many of their member hotels are reporting single-digit occupancy and are banking only on quarantine guests.

In the same forum, Jojo Clemente, president of Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP), said he does not expect foreign tourist arrivals immediately or in the next two months although he believes that tourists are coming back within the year.

“We have done our best to anticipate all kinds of situations as we reopen,” he said.

But just like Bengzon, Clemente emphasized that reopening operations after almost two years of almost dormant activity “takes a lot of effort to get it running.”

With that, he said, they are also coming up with various scenarios.

“But we are confident we are on the right path to see the light,” he said.

 

For his part, Walid Wafik SM Hotels and Convention Center (SMHCC) Senior Vice President and General Manager, also declared their readiness to accept foreign tourist arrivals and are looking forward to welcome domestic tourists and bookings at their convention centers.

Wafik, however, stressed the need to always observe and enforce health and safety protocols for the meeting, incentives, conferences & exhibition (MICE) sector. He urged “not to let our guards down, our safety protocols will be in place.”

He said that MICE organizers are beginning to block dates for their annual events, signaling the reopening of this sector.

Wafik said that SMHCC will not raise rates even if the past two years had been very painful for them as they incurred revenue loss and half of their staff gone.

He stressed that that raising prices is the last thing they would do in this time. What is important, he said, is to bring back confidence of the domestic market so the industry can bounce back to the pre-pandemic level.

The priority for SMHCC, he said, is “to go back to the 2019 volume wise, revenue will come later.”

But in terms of readiness, Wafik said that their nine hotels and 7 convention centers are ready to move forward.

“We have accepted losses and dealt with manpower and staffing to keep everybody onboard and engaged,” he added.

 

Meantime, Puyat-Romulo said that quarantine hotels operate at 67 percent capacity. She said that hotels and tourist accommodation facilities are expected to enjoy higher capacities of as much as 80 percent under Alert Level 2.

According to the DOT- National Capital Region (DOT-NCR), there is a 68 percent or 37,348 occupied rooms in Quarantine facilities consisting of 418 hotels operating with 55,150 rooms, as of February 7. These hotels cater to the unvaccinated travelers completing their quarantine period, long staying guests, OFWs ready for departure, and BPO employees.

As much as 76 quarantine hotels have submitted a Letter of Intent to shift to regular hotels and cater to leisure tourists.

“I am excited about the prospects of a healthy rebound in tourism for a good number of reasons: the high vaccination rate among our tourism workers, the public health safeguards and guidelines that have been put in place and the number of new tourism circuits that have been developed,” she said.

As of February 4, the DOT said that 92. 51 percent or 317, 892 out of 349, 534 tourism workers have received their COVID-19 jabs.

Tourism destinations with 100 percent vaccination rate among its tourism workers include: Baguio City; Aurora; Palawan towns Coron, El Nido and San Vicente ; Puerto Princesa City, and Camiguin island. The DOT offices are also facilitating the roll-out of booster shots for eligible tourism workers.

On a regional basis, the NCR registered the highest coverage for tourism workers with 99.91 percent.

Don't be corrupt!

By Catherine Talavera, Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — After accepting her surprise appointment as tourism secretary on Tuesday, Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said her first instruction from President Duterte was: “Just don’t be corrupt.”

“My only instruction from the President when he offered it and then I accepted – he said, ‘congratulations! All I want is no corruption. Don’t steal,’ he told me. And I said, ‘yes, of course,’ ” Puyat said yesterday in an interview.

With her at the helm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), Puyat said she would likely prioritize farm and culinary tourism.

“We’ve been working with (the DOT) with regard to farm tourism. That’s been their main project with the DA (Department of Agriculture). So might as well continue it,” she said. “I will continue the farm tourism and culinary tourism because when you go to a country, food is one of the things tourists go to.”

She was agriculture undersecretary for 12 years before Duterte casually appointed her late Tuesday at Malacañang during a meeting of the National Food Authority Council.

“He basically appointed me because he said I have been in the DA for so long, for 12 years already and there was no trace of corruption,” Puyat said.

She replaced Wanda Teo who resigned as DOT secretary Monday night at the height of controversy over the questionable advertising deal between the tourism department and the state-run People’s Television Network Inc. The agreement involved the placement of P60 million in ads for a television program of Teo’s brother Ben Tulfo.

“Medyo nagulat ako kasi pinag-uusapan namin agriculture tapos biglang naging tourism (I was a bit surprised because we were talking about agriculture then suddenly it was tourism),” she said.

Puyat admitted she has no plans for the DOT yet, but stressed she would continue to work on projects begun by Teo, including those promoting farm industry and local cuisine.

She said she wants to check first the plans of the DOT especially concerning rehabilitation efforts for Boracay and the country’s possible hosting of the Miss Universe 2018.

The new tourism chief also vowed to observe transparency in all transactions. She promised to shun nepotism like what her father – former senator and foreign affairs chief Alberto Romulo – did when he was in government.

She revealed that as DA official, she had worked with the DOT for the Madrid Fusion Manila, a major culinary event with Spain.

“We’re on our fourth year. We’ve worked with the DOT for three years already with regard to Madrid Fusion,” Puyat said.

“So it’s all about culinary tourism. We might as well continue that as far as my background is concerned,” she added.

She emphasized she’s always ready to explore more ways of improving the country’s tourism sector.

“Of course we should continue what programs are already working,” she said.

On the six-month closure of Boracay to give way to rehabilitation work, she said she’s leaving it to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to deal with the issue.

“We will see. We will leave it up to their judgment,” she said in a separate television interview.

In welcoming its new chief, the DOT said her expertise and experience would certainly bring more vigor to the department and help it attain its target under the National Tourism Development Plan for 2016-2022. The DOT hopes to boost tourist arrivals to 7.4 million this year.

“An advocate of farm and culinary tourism as evidenced in the DA’s strong partnership with the DOT’s Madrid Fusion Manila and farm tourism initiatives, the incoming secretary’s expertise and experience present an advantage in steering the industry and promoting the Philippines as a premier tourist destination,” the DOT said.

DA’s loss

While sighs of relief greeted her entry into the DOT, her departure from the DA was met with uneasiness.

“She is a big loss to the DA, especially in our marketing advocacies. But I am happy for her,” Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol told The STAR.

While Puyat’s appointment as DOT chief caught him by surprise, Piñol said he respects the decision of the President as he knows Puyat is fit and qualified for the position.

“I was shocked because this was not discussed in the last Cabinet meeting. But I already had an inkling that she may be chosen,” he said.

“Knowing her work habits and her honesty as a public official, I know she will excel as tourism secretary,” Piñol added.

“Looking at the brighter side, she and I could now work closely and coordinate our efforts and funding in promoting farm tourism and agri-tourism,” Piñol said.

Puyat’s credentials and reputation have also impressed senators who expect her to face smooth sailing before the Commission on Appointments (CA).

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said Puyat “has done well in all her government postings,” referring to her previous post as agriculture undersecretary.

“She has a clean record. She has good academic credentials and is very qualified to be the secretary of tourism. I look forward to working with her in developing our tourism industry. Good tourism policies will increase jobs and income for our people and will further sustain our growing economy,” Recto said.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III described her as “excellent,” adding that her father was also an exemplary public servant.

Sen. Nancy Binay, chair of the tourism committee, said she was looking forward to working with Puyat, whom she expects to promote “the tourism agenda and bring her expertise in farm tourism and ecotourism being sustainable approaches to rural development.”

Sen. Grace Poe said Puyat has the academic and professional credentials to lead the DOT and is known for promoting attractions and local culture of provinces she had been to as DA official.

“She is very personable and articulate and is suited to the job of selling the Philippine brand,” Sen. Sonny Angara said.

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, a member of the CA, said he expects the bicameral body to quickly confirm her appointment.

“I can truly vouch for her character and integrity as a person and her almost decade long career in public service at the DA was one of outstanding performance and with no taint of corruption or controversy whatsoever,” Zubiri said.

For Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Puyat is undoubtedly qualified for her new job. “She’s qualified for the position. Good choice,” Alvarez said.

“We support the decision of the President to further promote the tourism industry in the Philippines,” Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu said.

“She’s the right person for the right job. She possesses the qualities of a good marketing person,” Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the House committee on dangerous drugs, said.

Puyat “has a long and positive track record in government. We believe she is a worthy choice to replace outgoing secretary Wanda Teo,” Parañaque Rep. Gus Tambunting, chairman of the House committee on games and amusement, said.

“I think she is highly capable of handling the job,” said Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, chairman of the House committee on banks and financial intermediaries.

“The right person for the right job,” Isabela Rep. Rodito Albano, a member of the 12-man House CA contingent, said.

Meanwhile, Piñol said DA undersecretary for policy and planning Segfredo Serrano will take over rice importation matters from Puyat.

Piñol, who is currently in Batanes, says the DA will have a meeting tomorrow to discuss new roles at the department.

The appointment of Puyat has also spawned reports that Jose Gabriel La Viña will replace her as DA undersecretary.

Just two weeks ago, La Viña was appointed as tourism undersecretary. He was Social Security System commissioner for more than a year before his dismissal in February due to alleged abuse of public funds.

“I am still waiting for the official communication on the matter, if it is indeed true,” La Viña said in a text message to The STAR.

“I am and will continue to be a strong supporter of the President. For the record, I believe Usec. Berna is an excellent choice for DOT. She is beautiful, diligent and bright,” he added, referring to the new tourism chief by her nickname. – With Robertzon Ramirez, Louise Maureen Simeon, Paolo Romero, Delon Porcalla,  Christina Mendez

Senator Cayetano as new DFA Secretary

Office of Senator

Alan Peter S. Cayetano

Rm. 602 GSIS Complex Senate of the Philippines Roxas Blvd Pasay City

         

PRESS RELEASE

17 May 2017

Cayetano vows to help Du30 admin fulfill promise of change as new DFA Sec

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano vows to continue helping President Rodrigo Duterte in fulfilling his promise of promoting the welfare of the Filipino people, as well as the country's national sovereignty and interest, territorial integrity, and national security.

This was the pledge of Cayetano when he faced members of the Commission on Appointments at the Senate for the confirmation of his post as Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Members of the CA unanimously voted for the appointment of Cayetano during the plenary session. 

"To the Honorable members of the Commission on Appointments... I have the honor and privilege to be before you today as you exercise your constitutional mandate to assess and decide on my fitness to serve the DFA as its Secretary," Cayetano said in his opening speech before the commission.

The senator stressed that while much has been done in the field of foreign relations, "there is still so much to do" in order to affect more genuine changes for the country.

As Secretary, Cayetano will introduce initiatives aimed at "advocating and pushing for our national interest, strengthening our bilateral and multilateral relations with other countries and organizations around the world, and of course the protection, welfare, and comfort of our Filipinos overseas, particularly our modern day heroes."

The senator also took the opportunity to thank his colleagues in Congress "for helping President Duterte in fulfilling his mandate and vision."

Cayetano had been a public servant since 1992. He was first elected as the youngest Councilor of the then municipality of Taguig, and was voted as Vice Mayor of the same municipality. He served three terms as Representative of the Lone District of Taguig-Pateros, and was elected as Senator in 2007.

He currently holds the position of Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The senator had since been accompanying the President during his state visits to different countries. 

"These foreign trips have... given a face to our 10 million kababayans abroad. They are working hard, sacrificing much, asking for little.They are hungry for change," Cayetano stressed, as he expressed commitment to promoting the welfare of OFWs here and abroad.#