MANILA, Philippines — Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat disclosed that the Department of Budget and Management and several businesses expressed intent to offer funds for the Department of Tourism.
At the annual meeting of Makati Business Club Tuesday, Puyat said Budget Secretary Ben Diokno offered to increase the budget of the DOT for next year.
Puyat said she is pleased and considers herself lucky for the funds offered since the DOT’s budget was cut in half previously.
“They want to (give money). Maybe part of it is because they saw me crying. I don’t know,” Puyat said.
“A lot of it I actually credit to my father because when I entered the Cabinet, they were all colleagues of my dad. They always say ‘Your father is clean, for sure, you are also clean,’” she said in mixed Filipino.
In May, Puyat was seen getting emotional after finding out about DOT's spending in a television report.
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She cried while saying she discovered anomalies in the department she is now handling.
When she was appointed to the DOT, President Rodrigo Duterte asked Puyat not to engage in corruption. Puyat said the president expressed confidence in her saying Duterte thinks she is “clean.”
Puyat also happily announced that local carriers Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific vowed to make commercials for DOT.
“Because we really don’t have that much,” Puyat said.
“It's more fun but maybe there's no more funds in the Philippines so they have agreed to make commercials with the Department of Tourism — make commercials, placed the ads, not only here but [also] abroad,” she added.
Puyat said snack brand Oishi also vowed to create commercials for the DOT and placed the advertisements in its market in China.
She added that Ben Chan of Bench also vowed to promote the country using his clothing brand.
Puyat said the DOT is planning to increase the budget for branding as well as infrastructure next year.
Asked how much funds Diokno promised for the tourism agency, Puyat said it is still being discussed and the budget chief should be asked.
“What’s good is that they are willing to increase the budget,” Puyat said.