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 Tourism (DOT), in an oath-taking ceremony officiated by Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco during the agency’s special meeting on Thursday (Feb. 15) at the DOT Central Office.
Zozobrado, renowned for his extensive experience in the tourism industry, has held various roles in the aviation and hospitality sectors. He is a columnist, and was a former public relations specialist, director of sales, and marketing consultant.
Before his appointment at the PRA, he served as the President of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines and was instrumental in formalizing a memorandum of understanding that automatically inducted newly accredited travel and tourism establishments as TCP members. Before his role as TCP president, he chaired the Philippines chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), another national tourism association. Zozobrado is also named as a member of 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 Philippine Retirement Authority is a government-owned and controlled corporation 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.
Officer-in-charge (OIC) Undersecretary Verna Buensuceso, represented by OIC Assistant Secretary Warner Andrada, joined the ex-officio members and board of trustees during the special meeting. The agenda encompassed diverse topics, including a comprehensive research study, the corporate operating budget, and pressing concerns of the agency.