NEXT to the overseas Filipino workers (OFW), the major dollar earner for the Philippines is the tourism industry.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) is at the forefront of promoting, protecting, and developing this industry. A principal objective of the DOT is to attract and increase tourist arrivals in the country.

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These visitors bring and spend consideration foreign currencies here with variable amounts annually, but in millions of dollars.

Credit for the remarkable performance of the tourism industry goes largely to Tourism Secretary Ace Durano.

Behind Durano and his powerful marketing and promotional program is the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) headed by General Manager Mark Lapid who has been cited for his quiet but spectacular performance, according to his chief of staff, Paul “Concon” Laus.

“Running an elective office was quite easy compared to the rigors and discipline of big league corporate work,” Laus said in an exclusive interview. “Beyond people’s expectations, GM Lapid has shown the talent of moving people, of having things done, and deciding policy formulations.”

Paul’s boss follows the strict 9 to 5 work routine and beyond, possibly obsessed in proving to President Arroyo who appointed him that he can do the job.

Actually it was President Marcos who created the Ministry of Tourism (MOT). Marcos also established the PTA, a corporate entity attached to then MOT.

As General Manager of the PTA, Lapid’s function is specific: to implement the DOT’s policies and programs relating to tourism development.

In this work, the former Pampanga governor is backed up by his able, well- experienced, and equally energetic chief of staff. At first, the PTA top personnel were skeptical as to the ability and qualifications of Mark and Concon.

“Mark’s experience as governor has developed his decision-making ability, sharpened his grasp of problems both on the micro and macro level and uses his judgment with firmness and uprightness,” according to Laus, former running mate of the young actor and leader.

In every office set-up, the details and the nitty-gritty of routine work fall on the chief of staff. “I do not make a decision without his knowledge,” he added.

Laus is not new to this system. He has honed his managerial skills as president of Ford Pampanga. There he managed a multi-million pesos enterprise, crafted and implemented marketing, promotions, and sales programs.

“He has dealt effectively with problems in human resources as he was known to inspire his work force to maximum performance,” said broadcaster Boy Santiago, an Outstanding Fernandino awardee in communication.

Lapid is a business administration graduate, and was enrolled in a Masteral degree in that field when he was elected governor in 2004. Laus is a graduate of New Hampshire (USA) College, major in marketing. He had led one auto branch of the Laus Group of Companies to a record benchmark.

The Kapampangan tandem are armed by the PTA law and backed up by several Presidential Decrees in their work mission. The two lead the PTA in encouraging foreign and domestic investments by granting incentives to investors and at the same time limiting such activities within the measured capacity designated by DOT for a specific area, Laus said.

After a year and three months in the PTA, Lapid had successfully rehabilitated the Banaue Hotel and Youth Hostel, popular facilities and tourist destination in the Cordilleras. Mark also initiated the lighting work on the Intramuros golf course for tourists on night games.

Boracay residents and stakeholders in that destination had commended Lapid for his water system project in that tourist sport. The P50-million project has helped solve the problem of potable and accessible water to support the tourism industry there, Laus said.

Asked why GM Mark has no program for the Hilaga (Paskuhan) Village and the Mt. Arayat national park, both tourist oriented facilities in the province, Laus said the Hilaga is directly under the tourism department, and is now subject of acquisition or transfer to the city government of San Fernando.

The Arayat Park was managed by the local government in that municipality until it was turned over the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

GM Lapid is now focused on investing PTA resources to build a tourist-oriented wakeboarding resort in Sacobia, Clark under an agreement with the Clark Development program.

The PTA will initially undertake the construction of 3.5 km. road in the site. Guaranteed to attract local and foreign enthusiasts of the international sport, the project may run from P200- P300 millions upon completion.

The MOA signing between GM Lapid and CDC president Benny Ricafort was scheduled on Friday September 11, 2009.

Lapid and Mark have virtually visited all the tourist destinations all over the country, established support projects without fanfare, and are probing that despite their youth and political background, can perform creditably well to honor President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who instructed them to “to bloom where they were planted.”