PRESS RELEASE-Department of Tourism Employees
The PREDA campaign against Sex Tourism has taken a new turn with the stand of the government employees of the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) against sex tourism. For years, PREDA has been trying to develop awareness. Last Thursday 22 March.2001 PREDA staff and Fr. Shay were invited by the employees to celebrate a mass at the Department during their lunch brake. During his homily, Fr. Shay pointed out the need for every true Filipino to fight for the dignity of women and children, oppose abuse and exploitation and support wholesome family tourism. This was followed by a walk out and demonstration by the employees protesting the appointment of Richard Gordon as Secretary of Tourism.
They claim that Mr. Richard Gordon of Olongapo City is unsuitable for the position because of his association with the long history of sex tourism in that city that provided 'entertainment with sex' to the US servicemen.
March 23, 2001
We, the Employees of the Department of Tourism and members of the Department of Tourism Employees Association, state clearly that we speak solely for ourselves and no other. We are making this statement so that the public will realize that there are deeper causes to our dissatisfaction that we have to reveal now. While the media have focused on the superficial aspects of this discontentment and dissatisfaction of the employees and our perceived indolence, the root causes run deep and stem from the historical experience of the Secretary in the sex tourist industry. This master of media manipulation has misled the press into believing that he is a paragon of virtue and a great national leader.
We call on the media to investigate and examine these root causes and discover the truth for themselves so the public may know. Then they may learn if this close connection to promoting and fostering the sex tourism industry is what we Filipinos want in our Secretary of Tourism.
That we strive for the highest professional standards in our work that the friction and opposition to have Richard Gordon as Secretary of Tourism stem from his lack of professional experience and training. He has no ability and professionalism to be a model and inspiring leader, whom must possess the skill to handle the complex task as Secretary of Tourism under a government dedicated to moral regeneration in our country.
The position of a secretary is a public trust that demands the highest moral standards and untarnished reputation as clearly announced by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when she assumed office - high government official in this new era of spiritual and cultural renewal.
Mr. Richard Gordon's inability to inspire and encourage the employees and to win their trust and loyalty, is a recipe for failure. He has gravely antagonized and alienated himself from the employees so that they will be disgruntled and forced to resign and he will fill the vacancies with his 'brought-in', so-called, volunteer workers.
Mr. Gordon has despised the past secretaries of tourism for having done nothing for the industry for the past thirty-two (32) years. But until now, he has no definite plans and programs of action except media releases and grandstanding as a political kingpin of Olongapo.
His history as Mayor of Olongapo is one during which he promoted and permitted the expansion of the sex industry that specialized in gratifying the bizarre and perverted sexual impulses of military tourists. The human rights of women and children were gravely violated.
It was a repulsive form of sex tourism marked by the issuance of permits and licenses to brothels, bars, massage parlors, casinos and other dens of iniquity that were fronts for prostitution, child sexual exploitation and abortion practices. The image of the Filipina was reduced to one of the readily available prostitute; it is one that insults the dignity of every Filipino.
As early as 1982, an abusive and well-organized child prostitution syndicate was found to be operating in Olongapo where children as young as nine were sold for sex to tourists as illustrated in the Daniel Dougherty case. None of the identified pimps and paedophile ringleaders were ever arrested and brought to trial.
There are strong cases of graft and corruption filed at the office of the Ombudsman
With this background, a Secretary of Tourism who is supposed to be the ambassador of the nation to the world is detrimental to the image of the nation of friendly, kind and hospitable people. Mr. Gordon is not suited to lead the tourism industry if the tourism that he knows and practices will only ruin our spiritual tradition and family values.
