Veteran trade diplomat Dita Angara-Mathay appointed as new Tourism secretary

Veteran trade diplomat Dita Angara-Mathay has been appointed as the new secretary of the Department of Tourism.

The Presidential Communications Office announced her appointment in a press release on Friday, April 10.

"With her appointment, the administration aims to further align tourism with economic growth attracting more investments, supporting local industries, and ensuring that the gains from tourism are felt across the regions," the PCO said.

Before her designation, Angara-Mathay served as the head of the Department of Trade and Industry's representative office in Tokyo, which is dedicated to promoting Philippine exports, attracting Japanese investments and enhancing economic ties.

She is married to Robbie Mathay, who recently served as president of the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority.

Angara-Mathay will now take the reins from her predecessor, Christina Frasco, whose tenure was marked by controversy over allegations that she promoted herself in tourism materials.

The issue came after Frasco appeared on the cover of a free magazine distributed in Japan and a tarpaulin bearing her image at the Boracay airport.

However, she claimed that the use of her image for the publication had "no consent, funding, or information" on her and the DOT's part. 

"I did not pay for that magazine, no government funds were used for that magazine, and my consent was never obtained in the use of my image for that magazine," she said during a hearing, later adding that she directed an immediate investigation following the publication.

In March, Frasco was relieved of her DOT role and reassigned as presidential adviser for sustainable and resilient communities.