By Brian Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has appointed a new secretary of the Department of Tourism (DOT), almost a month after then tourism Chief Christina Frasco, was reassigned to a different post in March.
In a press briefing Friday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro announced that seasoned public servant Dita Angara-Mathay will bring her decades of experience in trade, investment, and international economic engagement into her new position as new DOT chief.
According to Malacañang, Angara-Mathay will help the administration in further aligning tourism with economic growth through attracting more investments and supporting local industries.
Prior to her appointment, Angara-Mathay served as Commercial Counselor at the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Tokyo, Japan where she led strategic partnerships with Japanese industries, one of the Philippines’ key sources of investment, technology, and tourism.
Angara-Matha has also led programs supporting enterprise development, strengthening industries, and expanding opportunities for Filipino businesses, especially micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“Her appointment reflects the administration’s push to position tourism not only as a cultural showcase, but as a strong driver of jobs, businesses, and regional development,” Castro said.
Angara-Mathay replaced Frasco, who now serves as Presidential Adviser for Sustainable and Resilient Communities.
In a Facebook post, the DOT welcomed Angara-Mathay’s appointment and expressed the agency’s full support for her leadership.
“The entire Department stands united in working closely with her, alongside stakeholders across government, industry, local communities, and the private sector, to advance a more connected, competitive, sustainable, and resilient Philippine tourism industry,” the DOT page said.
-jpv
