The Department of Tourism seems to be having a tough time on deciding whether or not to push through with this year’s Madrid Fusión Manila, the annual gastronomy event inspired by Madrid Fusión in Spain.
It would be simple had it not been for a yearly budget of at least P120 million and some alleged irregularities surrounding the original contract signed back in 2015 during the term of then Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez.
Network of Independent Travel and Allied Services president Robert Lim Joseph said the group was determined to get to the bottom of things, starting with a possible re-negotiation of the terms in the contract with Madrid Fusión’s organizers.
“When we had a meeting with the Tourism Promotions Board, I asked if the terms of the contract between Madrid Fusión is being compiled,” former DoT secretary Mina Gabor wrote in an email to Joseph. Gabor said that the terms of the contract were “not compiled.”
No audit was also made of the first two MFMs. The third one, which was staged year, is currently being audited.