EXCLUSIVE: Kat De Castro shares plans for Department of Tourism

Gary Ann  Lastrilla

<div><img src='' alt='061816-kat_push.jpg' width='400' height='290' align='left' border='0'>In an exclusive interview with <a href='www.push.abs-cbn.com'>PUSH.com.ph</a> , host Kat De Castro, who is a known supporter of president-elect Rodrigo Duterte, shared how happy she is happy about Duterte’s victory and that she also misses their campaigning moments.</div><div><br/></div><div>“Well, sa totoo lang, when we first started campaigning, basically we did not expect naman to win pero definitely, oo naman, we wanted to win in so many ways. Now that he has finally won, sobrang saya namin pero at the same time, syempre nakakamiss ang mga campaign days. But then again, ‘yung pagod, it’s all worth it. We’re very happy and definitely, change is coming, so to speak di ba?” </div><div><br/></div><div>Recently, reports that Kat will become the next undersecretary for the Department of Tourism surfaced. What does she have to say about this? </div><div><br/></div><div>“Hindi pa ina-announce eh. (Pero) well, I will be working with the DOT definitely under the very, very good and admirable Secretary Wanda Teo. She has been with Tourism ever since and I’m really looking up to her. She’s definitely the best choice to replace or to be the next DOT secretary,” she answered.</div><div><br/></div><div>When asked if she already has plans, Kat shared that she wants DOT to be friendlier to the millennials. “Kasi let’s face it, we need to upgrade some of the way that we handle our tourism packages and come on, I want to lower down the price when it comes to traveling in the Philippines. For some reason, it’s cheaper to go to Hong Kong than go to Boracay and that is still something that I would like to look to,” she said.</div><div><br/></div><div>Furthermore, Kat said that she wants to decongest Boracay by encouraging people to visit other beaches in the country. “Make other people go to other beaches in the Philippines because we’re more than just Boracay and let them go to places like Calaguas, Caramoan, ‘yun. I’m looking forward to that.” </div><div><br/></div><div>“I’ve been in the travel show industry for a decade now so whatever I learned as a first-hand traveller, i-aapply ko sa DOT,” she added. </div><div><br/></div><div>Meanwhile, what did her father, <i>TV Patrol</i> newscaster “Kabayan” Noli de Castro say to her about joining politics?</div><div><br/></div><div>Sharing that her father served in the government for a long time, Kat said, “He was senator for three years and eventually became the vice-president so 9 years. Almost a decade rin. At first, ayaw niya akong papasukin sa government because alam niya na maraming intriga. Kumbaga, ‘yung pagiging reporter ko dati sa ABS-CBN News, kahit pagiging travel show host ko maintriga na, lalo na ‘to ngayon,” she said. </div><div><br/></div><div>Saying that she will definitely seek advice from her father, she shared what she told him before accepting the position. “The last thing I told him before I accepted the position, sabi ko, ‘Dad, I will make you proud of me,’” she said, adding that it’s a good happy father’s day gift for him.</div><div><br/></div><div>“And sabi niya, ‘Don’t worry, anak. I know that I raised you well and you will keep your feet on the ground.’ Sabi ko, ‘Oo naman, daddy. De Castro, definitely, feet on the ground, humble pa rin,’” she added.</div><div><br/></div>

Kat De Castro reveals she talked with her father Noli De Castro about joining politics.

EXCLUSIVE: Kat De Castro shares plans for Department of Tourism | PUSH.COM.PH