ILOILO CITY — The Department of Tourism in Western Visayas welcomed new Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.
In a media interview Wednesday, DOT-6 Regional Director Helen Catalbas said she is expecting the new Secretary to “continue with the rehabilitation activities” in the island of Boracay in Malay, Aklan.
“If the rehabilitation activities and targets will be met, this will make a little bit comfortable for the succeeding secretaries of tourism because the guidelines will be set already,” she said.
Catalbas gave credit to former secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo for “being brave enough to be the whistle blower”, adding there is no other secretary before her had done what she did in Boracay.
Meanwhile, Catalbas expressed excitement to meet the new tourism secretary and is looking forward to working “very productively” with Puyat.
Catalbas said that she is expecting that Puyat will be calling for a conference or a meeting in the days to come.
“I hope it will be soon so we will know her directions, her thrusts so that the regional tourism department can adjust accordingly to what she wants during her leadership” she said.
She added that the region is open to adjust to whatever additions the new secretary would want them to work on apart from the existing programs they are implementing.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday evening appointed Puyat as the new tourism secretary following the resignation of Teo. (Cindy Ferrer/PNA)
