Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo Puyat has placed seven of her predecessor Wanda Teo’s appointees on floating status amid their refusal to voluntarily leave the Department of Tourism (DOT).

In DOT Department Order 2018-45, a copy of which was obtained by Politiko, Puyat ordered three Tourism Undersecretaries and four Assistant Secretaries to report to her office “in the interest of the service.”

The order dated June 13 effectively means the concerned officials are on floating status.

The officials affected by Puyat’s order are: Undersecretaries Katherine De Castro, Alma Rita Jimenez and Marco Bautista, and Assistant Secretaries Frederick Alegre, Daniel Angelo Mercado, Maria Lourdes Japson and Arlene Mancao.

The reassignment of Teo’s appointees to Puyat’s office means their functions, duties and responsibilities are limited to what the Tourism Secretary orders them to do.

The expenses these officials will incur in performing their duty will also be charged to the Tourism Secretary’s office, subject to existing government accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

Puyat ordered all DOT Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries, save for one career official, to resign after she assumed office last month so she could have a free hand in appointing the people she will work with.

While the concerned officials tendered their courtesy resignations, Politiko learned that Teo’s appointees have refused to leave the agency, with their belongings still in their offices.

They also continue to report to work everyday, as if ignorant of the signs that their time is already up.

Will Puyat’s order finally prompt Teo’s appointees to pack up? Or will they be content to remain on floating status ‘til kingdom come?