MANILA, 16 April 2026: The Philippines Department of Tourism (DOT) has confirmed the appointment of Maria Bernardita Angara-Mathay as Secretary of Tourism following a 10 April order from the Presidential Communications Office of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
In a Facebook message, the Department of Tourism stated: “The entire department stands united in working closely with her, alongside stakeholders across government, industry, local communities, and the private sector, to advance a more connected, competitive, sustainable, and resilient Philippine tourism industry.”
She succeeds Christina Garcia-Frasco, who moved to a new role as presidential adviser for sustainable and resilient communities in mid-March.
The selection of Angara-Mathay signals a shift toward treating tourism as a primary economic engine rather than just a cultural showcase.
Angara-Mathay is a veteran trade diplomat with decades of experience in the Foreign Trade Service Corps.
She most recently served as the Commercial Counsellor and Special Trade Representative at the Philippine Trade and Investment Centre in Tokyo, Japan.
During her time in Tokyo, she was credited with securing approximately PHP 56.35 billion in Japanese investment for the Philippines. She also has extensive experience representing the Philippines at international summits on sectors such as electronics, sustainable textiles, and MSME (micro, small, and medium enterprise) development.
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) highlighted that her appointment would drive tourism investment by using her diplomatic expertise to attract foreign capital for Philippine tourism infrastructure.
(Source: Presidential Communications Office (PCO)
