President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has appointed trade diplomat Dita Angara-Mathay as secretary of the Department of Tourism, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) announced on Friday, April 10.
In a statement, the PCO said Angara-Mathay is “a seasoned public servant with decades of experience in trade, investment, and international economic engagement.”
The PCO said her appointment reflects the administration’s push to position tourism not only as a cultural showcase, but as “a strong driver of jobs, businesses, and regional development.”
“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,” it said.
Angara-Mathay replaced former Tourism chief Christina Frasco, who now serves as Presidential Adviser for Sustainable and Resilient Communities.
Prior to her appointment, Angara-Mathay served as Commercial Counselor at the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Tokyo, where she led strategic partnerships with Japanese industries, one of the Philippines’ key sources of investment, technology, and tourism.
Throughout her career, Angara-Mathay has led programs that link global partnerships to concrete outcomes on the ground, supporting enterprise development, strengthening industries, and expanding opportunities for Filipino businesses, especially micro, small, and medium enterprises.PNA
