CA panel approves nomination of Tourism Secretary Berna Puyat

A panel of the Commission on Appointments (CA ) approved in a breeze on Tuesday the nomination of newly-installed Tourism Secretary Bernadette Fatima Romulo-Puyat.

On Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri’s motion, the CA’s committee on tourism and economic development recommended Romulo-Puyat’s confirmation.

Zubiri’s motion was immediately seconded by members of the panel including Sen. Cynthia Villar.

The CA plenary has yet to adopt the panel’s recommendation.

Interviewed after the hearing, Romulo-Puyat said she did not expect the swift approval by the panel.

“You should have seen me in the room . I was reviewing, parang feeling ko may exam ako, parang kinakabahan ako. I didn’t expect it . I didn’t expect na it was going to be fast,” she said.

Her first order of the day? Romulo-Puyat said, “Get back to work. Just work, work, work kasi ang dami pa nating kailangang gawin.”

Asked if President Rodrigo Duterte had any instructions on what to prioritize in the agency, the Secretary reiterated the President’s only marching order to her.

“The only marching order was no corruption,” Romulo-Puyat said.  /vvp