DOT secretary told to resign

CEBU, Philippines - A call for his resignation greets Department of Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim as he sets foot in Cebu today to join 20 experts from all over the world to speak before the Philippine Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions/Events Conference (MICECON) 2011.

pines, among others.

In a press conference yesterday at the Marco Polo Hotel, Joseph also called for the resignation of DOT-7 officer-in-charge Rowena Montecillo, saying she is not qualified to hold the post.

Joseph said the tourism department should be abolished for streamlining of operations and put it under the Department of Trade and Industry, just like when it was still a Bureau of Tourism and Travel under DTI.

Charles Lim, president of SKAL International-Cebu Chapter, an organization of tourism and travel executives, refused to issue any statement on the call for resignation.

On the abolition of the DOT, he only said that the tourism industry is a “very important sector and there are too many issues to be tackled and resolved, otherwise we cannot move forward.”

Joseph hit the tourism secretary, co-founder and member of the Freedom to Fly Coalition, for his alleged bias for the interest of foreign airlines.

Alberto Lim had pushed for the implementation of the Open Skies policy, approved by President Benigno Aquino III two months ago.

“We want a fair open skies policy. We want reciprocity. This policy will kill our local airline industry in the long run,” said Joseph. He was in the airline industry from 1969 to 1992 and honorary consul of the Republic of Latvia to the Philippines since 1994.

Earlier, the tourism secretary said that the Open Skies Policy would help in bringing down plane fares, which is good for tourism.

Joseph agrees that it will bring down plane fares but pointed out that this will also kill the local carriers.

“The policy is lopsided. It is in favor of foreigners. Kung wala na tayong local carriers, we will be under the mercy of these carriers owned by foreigners and they can dictate na kung magkano ang plane fares kasi patay na ang ka kumpetensiya nila,” Joseph added.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama believes that all options must be exhausted first to resolve the conflict boiling between local tourism leaders and the tourism secretary before waging a call for the latter’s resignation.

Councilor Margarita Osmeña, chairman of the City Council’s committee on tourism, could not make a stand as of press time because she has yet to know of Joseph’s reason for making the call for resignation.

Lim will lead the battery of speakers today for the Philippine Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions/Events Conference (MICECON) 2011.

The event, with a theme “I Share, You connect, We change” will be held from August 11 to 13 at the Cebu International Convention Center.

The conference is expected to draw global attention to the country’s many potential venues and destinations for international meetings, incentive travel, conventions, exhibitions, and other events. — With Jessica R. Pareja/JPM (FREEMAN)