MANILA — Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on Tuesday asked all undersecretaries and assistant secretaries of the agency, except career officials, to tender their courtesy resignation.
Romulo-Puyat told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that two DOT top officials already submitted their letters. She did not indicate, however, whether they were undersecretaries or assistant secretaries.
“So far only two submitted, but I gave them up to next week,” she said in a text message.
In a memorandum issued Tuesday, Romulo-Puyat asked all political appointees to hand over their resignation until May 21.
“In the exigency of service, and in order to give the undersigned a free hand to perform the mandate given to her by the President, all incumbent undersecretaries and assistant secretaries of this Department are hereby directed to tender their unqualified courtesy resignations,” the memo read.
In a press conference at the DOT office, Romulo-Puyat cleared that all concerned will still assume their respective roles pending changes she will adopt.
“Of course, it doesn’t mean na mawawala na sila (that they will be fired),” the DOT chief noted.
Romulo-Puyat said the memo was given to the undersecretaries and assistant secretaries on Tuesday afternoon.
The new tourism chief, during the meeting with the agency’s officials, was also briefed on latter’s roles in the agency.
“It’s basically more of a getting to know you, what they were doing. Starting tomorrow (Wednesday), they will be discussing the programs and the budget,” she said.
“With regard to all the programs that they plan, I want to listen, we have to evaluate, tuloy ba o hindi itutuloy, etc.”
Romulo-Puyat has been sworn in by President Rodrigo R. Duterte as new Tourism Secretary on Monday, replacing Wanda Tulfo-Teo, who resigned amid the controversial PHP60-billion DOT-PTV 4 advertisement deal.
Prior to her appointment, Romulo-Puyat served as undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture. (PNA)
