MANILA, Philippines— Senate blue ribbon committee chair Richard Gordon on Tuesday showed the public the timeline of the controversial P60 million advertisement deal between state-run People’s Television Network and the Department of Tourism.
Gordon said the deal started as early as January 2017 when Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar proposed the partner with the Department of Tourism through the programs and services with PTV in marketing Philippine tourism.
In April 2018, however, the Commission on Audit released an audit report questioning the deal citing that the full payment of P60 million was released to Bitag Media Unlimited Inc. despite the lack of a formal contract. BMUI is owned by former Tourism chief Wanda Tulfo-Teo’s brother, Ben Tulfo.
DOT made an ad placement with BMUI's news magazine type program "Kilos Pronto" through PTV. Teo earlier claimed it was PTV which suggested the show where the ads would be carried.
Watch the breakdown of what happened in the controversial advertisement deal between PTV and DOT.