Who is Dita Angara-Mathay, Marcos’ new tourism chief?

MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s new tourism chief is a trade diplomat whose work spans tourism and economic development.

In a press release on Friday, April 10, Malacañang announced the appointment of Dita Angara-Mathay as the new head of the Department of Tourism, replacing Cebuano politician Christina Garcia-Frasco.

Frasco was tapped to serve as Presidential Adviser for Sustainable and Resilient Communities in March amid public backlash over her prominence in Philippine tourism promotions.

Prior to her appointment as DOT secretary, Angara-Mathay served as the commercial counselor and special trade representative of the Philippines in Tokyo. In this role, she represented the country in several industrial dialogues and international summits in sectors such as electronics and textiles.

The new tourism chief represented the Philippines at the SEMI Southeast Asia Investment Forum in January 2025 and the Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo in September that same year.

During her stint with the trade department, she helped secure some P51 billion in investment pledges from Japanese firms when the government’s economic team visited Japan in September 2025.

Angara-Mathay also spearheaded programs linked to supporting enterprise development, strengthening industry, and expanding opportunities for Filipino micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Her appointment comes as the Philippines’ tourism arrival numbers continue to lag behind pre-pandemic levels, with the country welcoming 6.4 million visitors in 2025. International visitors spent some P694 billion last year.

“Last year, we only welcomed six million people. Just to give you a frame of reference, Thailand welcomes 30 million tourists every year, kaya malaki ang hahabulin natin (So we have a lot of catching up to do),” Marcos said during the unveiling of the Mactan Expo in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu in March. – Rappler.com