(Eagle News)–Tourism Promotions Board Chief Operating Officer Cesar Montano has resigned.
Montano’s resignation, which he said was “effective immediately,” took place after the TPB was criticized for the “Buhay Carinderia” project.
The TPB had supposedly paid P80 million–or 90 percent of the total sponsorship deal–to advertisement agency Marylindbert International despite the project only being 15 percent completed.
Montano recommended officials Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat could select from as TPB officer in charge: Maricon Ebron, officer in charge of the Office of Deputy Chief Operating Officer for Marketing and Promotions; Leah Marie Sy, manager of the Management Information System Department; and Joselito Gregorio, OIC of the Office of the Deputy Chief Operating Officer for Corporate Affairs.
Puyat said she would still leave the Commission on Audit to look into possible irregularities in the project but already considers the case “closed.”
Montano blamed former Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo for the Buhay Carinderia mess, saying it was she who pushed for the project in the first place.
Teo resigned over a separate P60-million advertisements agency controversy.