Wednesday, September 01, 2004 Ace starts DOT work with briefings, planning
STEWARDSHIP over the Department of Tourism (DOT) was finally turned over to Sec. Joseph “Ace” Durano by outgoing Sec. Roberto Pagdanganan in a ceremony at 9 a.m. yesterday in Manila.
Durano then went to a series of strategic planning sessions in Malacañang after the ceremony, said lawyer Josefina Patricia “Ina” Asirit, his chief of staff.
Asirit, a former Cebu board member, said Durano will officially start his function as secretary today by conducting briefings and courtesy calls with subordinate officials and personnel.
Asirit answered in behalf of Durano, who was unavailable for comment since he had to rush to the planning sessions.
Durano was warmly welcomed by DOT officials and employees during the turnover ceremony and was accompanied to his new office by Undersecretaries Evelyn Pantig, Oscar Palabyab, Rolando Reyes and Armand Ariza.
Transfer
Asirit said Durano is planning to strengthen DOT regional offices while waiting for the final transfer of the central office to Cebu.
But Asirit also clarified that the new DOT secretary can hardly leave his Manila office considering that there are cabinet meetings and he has to defend the department’s annual budget in Congress.
Last month, Sen. Richard “Dick” Gordon filed Senate Bill No. 1725 creating the Tourism Enterprise Zone Authority (Teza) and the merging of the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) and the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC) into one office called Tourism Philippines.
The bill also provides that both proposed offices must be attached to the DOT and shall be based in Metro Manila.
Meanwhile, Pagdanganan has urged DOT officials and employees to support Durano in all his programs to promote tourism in the country.
Pagdanganan, during his stint as DOT secretary, has created a committee that facilitated the transfer of DOT central office in Cebu, as ordered by President Arroyo.
Assignments
In the Committee, Ariza will handle the administrative aspects while Palabyab will take care of infrastructure matters.
It was Palabyab who made the initial release of P7 million for the rehabilitation of Argao Beach Club as pledged by Gordon when he was DOT secretary before he ran for senator.
Pagdanganan said the transfer of the DOT central office to Cebu will soon be headed by Secretary Rodolfo del Rosario, the presidential adviser on new government centers.
Del Rosario, a former governor of Davao del Norte, will also be in-charge for the transfer of the Department of Agrarian Reform to Iloilo City, Department of Transportation and Communication to Clark Field in Pampanga, and Department of Agriculture to Davao.
On the other hand, Pagdanganan said the Philippine Tourism Authority was ordered by Arroyo to allocate an initial P100 million for the construction of the DOT building at the South Reclamation Project in Cebu, and another P100 million later.
Pagdanganan said the P100 million will be released upon the completion of the building design, which is expected late this year or early next year. (EOB)
(September 1, 2004 issue) Write letter to the editor.Click here. Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here.
