Taxi association slammed for unjust award claims

THERE was no “Transportation Excellence Award” given, said a top regional official of the Department of Tourism (DOT).

The regional office of DOT here slammed the claim of the Association of Taxi Operators of Panay (Atop) Inc. that such award given during the Western Visayas Tourism Excellence Award Ceremonies was invalid and unjust.

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Tourism Regional Director Edwin Trompeta said the Atop president Perfecto C. Yap and legal counsel Lawyer Joseph Vincent Go’s assumption is entirely wrong.

Of the 38 awards, there was no excellence award for transportation given to tourism partners, said Trompeta.

Trompeta said the award protested by Atop was the Regional Director’s Award. The DOT determined the awardee relative to the outstanding contribution to the tourism industry industry in Western Visayas.

The award was given to GDR Taxi for its corporate contribution to tourism peace and order, environment and product competitiveness.

It was definitely not a Transport Operation or Taxi Operation Award, the tourism official added.

Trompeta defended the award given to GDR Taxi owned by businesswoman Grace Donna Ratilla based in Iloilo City, saying the transport firm is a consistent recipient of Certificate of Appreciation from DILG-Western Visayas, PNP Police Station 3 and 5, British Embassy, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Universal Access to Competitiveness and Trade, DENR-Western Visayas and DTI provincial office.

GDR also sent for training last September 2009 some 80 taxi drivers in the DOT’s Culture and Tourism Training Program at GDR expense.

The Regional Director’s Award for GDR has nothing to do with the transportation business, Trompeta said.

The award system was instituted in the year 2000 and given during the Western Visayas Tourism Assembly.

Former awardees of the Regional Director’s Award included provincial governors and mayors, hotel and resort owners and managers, cultural workers and local government tourism officers.

Last December, GDR Taxi with two governors, one resort manager and a tourism officer were awarded for their community involvement in Emergency Patrol 117. (Lydia C. Pendon)