MANILA – Tourism industry veteran Roberto “Bob” Zozobrado officially assumed the role of General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA), an attached agency of the Department of Tourism (DOT).
According to the DOT, Zozobrado was sworn in by Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, during an oath-taking ceremony held at the DOT Central Office last Thursday.
In her congratulatory message, Frasco said that she is optimistic that Zozobrado will lead the PRA “in accordance with our President’s vision of transformation for the entire tourism industry, including this robust sector of our tourism portfolio.”
Zozobrado held various roles in the aviation and hospitality sectors before becoming PRA Chief. He was also a columnist and a former public relations specialist, director of sales and marketing consultant.
Before his appointment at the PRA, Zozobrado also served as the President of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP) and was instrumental in formalizing a memorandum of understanding that automatically inducted newly accredited travel and tourism establishments as TCP members.
He also served as the Chairman of the Philippines chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and a member fo the PRA Board of Trustees.
“The PRA is one with the DOT in promoting our country to the world. So, my several decades of marketing experience will certainly come in very handy in increasing PRA’s present market. My PRA team and I will continuously find more reasons for these retirees to LOVE TO LIVE IN THE PHILIPPINES,” affirmed GM Zozobrado.
The PRA is a government-owned and controlled corporation created by virtue of Executive Order No. 1037, signed by former President Ferdinand E. Marcos on 04 July 1985.
According to its website, on 31 August 2001, through Executive Order No. 26, the control and supervision of PRA was transferred to the Board of Investments (BOI) – Department of Trade and Industry from the Office of the President.
On 12 May 2009, Republic Act No. 9593, otherwise known as Tourism Act of 2009, PRA became an attached agency of the Department of Tourism and placed under the supervision of the Secretary.
PRA is mandated to develop and promote the Philippines as a retirement haven as a means of accelerating the social and economic development of the country, strengthening its foreign exchange position at the same time providing further best quality of life to the targeted retirees in a most attractive package.
DOT Secretary Frasco chairs the PRA Board of Trustees, with Tourism Undersecretary Ferdinand Jumapao as the alternate chair.
