PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday night told newly appointed Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat not to follow in the footsteps of other Cabinet members who had to leave office because of corruption.
In a television interview, Puyat said she thought the President was just joking when he offered her the job vacated by Wanda Teo, who resigned over a scandal in which P60 million in Department of Tourism funds paid for ads in a TV show produced by her brother, Ben Tulfo.
“I didn’t want to believe it because of the casual way he told me,” Puyat said in Filipino in an interview on ABS-CBN’s Umagang Kay Ganda program.
Puyat said the President even introduced her as the Tourism secretary to former senator Sergio Osmeña III, who was also in Malacañang that time.
The President, she said, had only one request: “Don’t be corrupt, he told me, and I said of course.”
“I am overwhelmed, but honored that he actually thought of me and thought [about] giving me the position. I will not disappoint him,” she said.
Puyat said Duterte felt disappointed that he had to dismiss many of his friends due to allegations of corruption.
Romulo-Puyat is the daughter of former senator and Foreign Affairs secretary Alberto Romulo.
As a public servant, Romulo-Puyat served the three Presidents, Duterte, Benigno Aquino III and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
She served Arroyo administration as a consultant under the Presidential Management Staff.
She then served the Aquino government as undersecretary for special concerns at the Department of Agriculture.
Before her appointment, Puyat was the undersecretary for agribusiness and marketing, and regional engagement at the Department of Agriculture.
Her father also served three Presidents; the late Corazon Aquino; Fidel Ramos; and Arroyo, as senator and executive secretary, and as secretary of the Department of Finance and the Department of Foreign Affairs, respectively.
Puyat’s mother, Lovely Romulo, is also active in public service and was former chairperson of the National Council on Disability Affairs.
Her grandfather is Carlos P. Romulo, who became Minister of Foreign Affairs and president of the United Nations General Assembly.
Her brother is former Pasig City representative Roman Romulo.
Puyat is a widow. Her husband died due to heart attack.
Romulo-Puyat said she looked forward to continuing the initiatives started by her predecessor.
She said she will meet with DoT officials to discuss the agency’s programs.
“We should continue what programs are already working and what I am familiar with, but of course, I am still in shock now, I am going to wait for the oath-taking and meet with officials of the DoT and we’ll see how it goes from there,” she said.
Lawmakers led by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Wednesday hailed the decision of President Duterte to appoint Romulo-Puyat as the new Tourism chief.
“The President’s appointment of Romulo-Puyat is a good choice. She is qualified for the position,” Alvarez said.
Administration allies, Reps. Rodolfo Albano III of Isabela, Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte, Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar and Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu of Batangas also cheered Puyat’s appointment.
“We support the decision of the President,” Abu said.
“The right person for the right job,” Albano, majority leader for the House of Representatives’ contingent to Commission on Appointments, said.
“I think she is highly capable of handling the job,” Evardone said.
Parañaque Rep. Gus Tambunting, chairman of the House committee on games and amusement, said Puyat had “a long, positive track [record] in government.”
“We believe she is a worthy choice to replace outgoing secretary Teo,” he added.
Opposition Reps. Gary Alejano of Magdalo party-list and Tom Villarin of Akbayan party-list groups were also satisfied with the appointment, saying in a statement that Romulo-Puyat was “a whiff of fresh air in a staid and damp Cabinet.”
“I think Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat is a good choice for tourism secretary. She has been in the government for a long time and her exposure in promoting agriculture in export markets as well as being around the country as undersecretary of the DA can serve her in good stead at tourism,” Villarin said.