Tourism chief suspends Cesar Montano’s ‘Buhay Carinderia’ project

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on Thursday said she has ordered the suspension of the  “Buhay Carinderia” program of actor and Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) chief operating officer Cesar Montano.

In a press briefing, Romulo-Puyat said she already informed Montano that she is stopping the government food tourism program which received P80 million from the agency in less than a month.

Romulo-Puyat said her private conversation with Montano on alleged irregularities on the “Buhay Carinderia” program was “cordial.”

However, Romulo-Puyat said, “for me, if there’s no bidding, we should stop the project. It’s better if the project underwent bidding process.”

“I told Mr. Montano, to be fair, he agreed to stop all projects,” she added.

Earlier, the newly-appointed Tourism chief said she’s looking into Montano’s programs at the TBP after it was reported that the agency paid P80-million in checks even if the project was not completed yet.

Government agencies usually pay in tranches.

Romulo-Puyat said she thinks Montano acted in good faith, saying the actor-turned-TPB chief told her that he consulted their lawyers. /vvp