MANILA, Philippines – Mark Lapid, son of Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid, has been reappointed to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) by President Benigno Aquino III.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte announced the appointment on Saturday, February 22, in a press briefing aired over the state-run Radyo ng Bayan.

Valte said that the Aquino administration is satisfied with Lapid’s performance as chief operating officer (COO) of TIEZA so far. (READ: Who are PH’s top tourists?)

Also reappointed on Tuesday, February 18, as members of the TIEZA board of directors are:

• Lucas M. Nunag, representing the accommodation enterprises
• Roberto U. Teo, representing the travel and tours enterprises
• Maria Vida H. Stoifl, representing the air, sea and land tourism transport services
• Catherine Brillantes-Turvill, representing other tourism enterprises
• Roy B. Martin, representing the tourism estate development and management services

Lapid, an ally of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, served as governor of Pampanga from 2004 to 2007. His father, Senator Lapid, voted to convict former Chief Justice Renato Corona in the 2012 impeachment trial that the Aquino adminstration pushed.

In 2008, Lapid was appointed by Arroyo as acting general manager of the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA). His appointment became permanent soon after.

When PTA was reorganized in 2009 via Republic Act 9593 or the Tourism Act of 2009 to form TIEZA, Lapid remained at the helm as COO.

TIEZA is the main agency designating, regulating, and supervising tourism enterprise zones in the country. – Rappler.com