MORE Cebuanos have joined the Department of Tourism now led by Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco, a Cebuana.Former Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu City president Mae Elaine Bathan has been appointed undersecretary and chief of staff at the department.“My profound gratitude to Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco and Congressman Duke Frasco for their love, support, trust and confidence. I am honored to join Secretary Christina in the Department of Tourism as Undersecretary and Chief of Staff,” Bathan announced on her Facebook page late Tuesday, July 26, 2022.Aside from Bathan, former Liloan councilor Ferdinand “Kokoy” Jumapao was also appointed undersecretary of the department. This was confirmed by Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan in his Facebook post on Tuesday, July 26.Separately, Ronald Conopio, chief protocol officer of Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia from 2004 to 2013, announced that he had also taken his oath as director of the Department of Tourism.“I am eternally grateful to our Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco for this new role. I will faithfully lead with the duties bestowed on to me. I likewise thank Congressman Duke Frasco for the trust you have given me as your consultant for the 5th District of Cebu,” Conopio said on his Facebook page late Tuesday.“To my mentor of 15 years, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, to which I owe this amazing journey in the public sector. You have taught me great wisdom which I take on in this new chapter of my life,” added Conopio.Conopio is from Ormoc City, but he considers himself a Cebuano because he has worked in Cebu since 2001, in addition to taking up his college studies in Cebu.Conopio told SunStar Cebu that he worked for Garcia as political officer from 2013 to 2016 when she became a congresswoman, and then chief of staff from 2016 to 2018 when Garcia became House deputy speaker. He later became consultant for both Reps. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu, third district) and Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco (Cebu, fifth district) from 2019 to the present.Secretary Garcia-Frasco, daughter of Governor Garcia, gave up the post of Liloan, Cebu mayor when President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. appointed her to lead the tourism department.