MikeLigalig.com

June 2003
Tourism boss reacts on berrating incident
By BOY I. PERNIA


"I will not take the scolding sitting down, if indeed I had any idea that the queries were in any form berating me," reacted Provincial Tourism Officer Baby Balio on a report that she was berated by a tourism industry player who is not connected with the provincial government.


She said that when she was confronted by Walter Sultan at the Bohol Tropics last July 19, she considered Sultan's "complaints as mere queries," knowing him (Sultan) to be an "aggressive member of the industry who was prone to dip his finger in other people's pies."


The incident happened at Cafe Atanacio of Bohol Tropics last July 19, while Gov. Erico Aumentado was interviewed by Teddy Montelebano, writer of Business World, who was invited by the provincial government to cover the Investment Forum here.


"Ako g'yud ning kasab-an si Baby," (I will really scold Baby), Sultan told this writer after the Manila journalist commented that he did not notice much publicity of the Sandugo festivity in the national media.


In fact, Sultan used his mobile phone to call Balio to come to Cafe Atanacio.


When the provincial tourism officer arrived, Sultan questioned her why there was no Bohol exposure seen on television telling Balio,"Ga-usikusik lang ka ug gasto pagadto sa Manila wa kay nahimo."


(You were just wasting funds in going to Manila, yet you did nothing).


Balio explained that she chose a morning slot so for the TV exposure to be carried to The Filipino Channel beamed to US viewers.


In her statement issued to the CHRONICLE yesterday, Balio said that she "retorted that if I had a hard time getting the small production budget, how could I imagine getting anything for the very expensive airtime." This was her explanation when Sultan expressed surprise whey she (Balio) had not thought of trying to seek funding for some payment to assure increased frequency or better time slots.


It maybe recalled that Sultan was formerly hired technical assistant for investment by Gov. Aumentado right after the election. However, he filed his resignation amidst a controversy in the local tourism industry which gave him a graceful exit from the position.

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