ATOP’s complaint on WV Tourism Excellence Award emanates from business rivalry, personal vendetta
The issue still disturbing the Western Visayas Tourism Excellence Award given by the Department of Tourism (DOT) 6 to the GDR taxi is generated out of business rivalry between two taxi operators and same time a personal vendetta.
DOT 6 Regional Director Edwin Trompeta said Atty. Joseph Vincent Go, operator of Light and Glory has a “reported history of industry rivalry” with Dona Rose Ratilla of GDR. “The ATOP is used to discredit the GDR at the expense of the DOT 6 Tourism Excellence Award project.”
Go, who represents as ATOP’s legal counsel contested the award given by the regional tourism office to GDR during last year’s Regional Tourism Assembly held in Roxas City.
He has already written Congress and the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Transportation questioning the mechanics used by the tourism department in giving the award to his tight taxi competitor, GDR.
Trompeta explained the award given by his office during last year’s Tourism Congress in Roxas is not a “Transportation Excellence Award” as what ATOP claimed but a Regional Director’s Award. In which, the director has a discretion on whom to give the awards.
The Regional Directors Award is one of the categories in the Western Visayas Tourism Excellence award. The said awards are given to persons or organizations which have valuable contributions to the tourism related activities.
The rivalry between GDR and Light of Glory was worsened after the former posted a local advertisement in one of the local papers stating the taxi company was given the Transportation Excellence Award. The Regional Directors Award and Transportation Excellence Award are distinct from each other.
He reiterated the Regional Director’s Award to GDR taxi has nothing to do with the transportation business. “It was given in recognition of the efforts and initiatives of the owner/operator of GDR towards the promotion of tourism in the region.”
The Western Visayas Tourism Excellence Award has been going on for several years is a locally initiated project consisting of around 37 award categories given to individuals, local government units and private sector partners, said Trompeta.
He said he has has the discretion on whom to give the awards. He justified that GDR was conferred with the Regional Director’s award for its corporate contribution to tourism, peace and order and product competitiveness.
Trompeta said GDR’s was a recipient of Certificate of Appreciation for DILG Region VI for generous support to Peoples Action Team Responding on Line (Patrol 117) in 2008, 2009; recipient of Certificate of Appreciation from British Embassy, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Universal Access to Competitiveness and Trade among others is worthy to receive the award.
The director also considered the issue haunting the Western Visayas Tourism Excellence Award as “personal vendetta” on the part of Go. He said the Light of Glory has only an axe to grind against him after he filed a complained before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for “fare contracting.”
He was charged by of the taxi drivers for P350 from his office to the airport last May 28, 2008 even if he already identified himself as the DOT regional director.
