MANILA, Philippines - Benito Bengzon Jr., a career executive who also served as assistant secretary for International Tourism Promotions and official spokesperson of the Department of Tourism (DOT), was sworn in as the new undersecretary for Tourism Development to replace Daniel Corpuz, who recently retired after forty years in government service.
Bengzon started with the DOT in tourism planning, product research, and development after getting his bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant administration from the University of the Philippines in 1984. Prior to his appointment in the DOT’s tourism development sector, Bengzon worked in various units of the department, serving as head of the investment promotions unit where he was tasked to promote tourism investments in the country.
In 1999, he was assigned as tourism attaché to Tokyo, where he oversaw the marketing and promotions campaign for the Japanese outbound market. He was instrumental in turning the Japanese market into one of the country’s top source markets. He also handled marketing teams for the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific.
In addition to Bengzon, the DOT also welcomed the appointment of Reynaldo Ching as director for Legal Affairs Service. Ching, also a career officer, joined the DOT in 1988 as a legal aide and was at one time head of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) Secretariat.
Concurrent with his new designation, Ching also provides technical support to several committees in the DOT. He is also one of the DOT representatives to the Philippine Air Negotiating Panel.