His resignation was accepted by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Philippine Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) chief operating officer Cesar Montano has resigned amid charges of irregularities over a US$1.5-million marketing project he approved.
His resignation was accepted by President Rodrigo Duterte.
“I am respectfully tendering my resignation as chief operating officer of the Tourism Promotions Board, effective immediately,” Montano said in a letter addressed to the president.
Montano’s resignation came after Department of Tourism secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat sought an inquiry of the TPB’s “Buhay Carinderia”, a culinary tourism project that was awarded to an events planner without public bidding.
Puyat also questioned why the US$1.5 million budget was paid in full even before the project was fully implemented. The project contract stipulated payments in tranches.
Montano denied allegations of irregularity and it was then tourism secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo who pushed for the contract to be awarded to event organiser Marylindbert International, claiming the owner was Teo’s friend.
Puyat ordered a revamp of the DOT organisation that included attached agencies such as TPB. The DOT secretary sits as chairman of the promotions agency.