Former Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez
Former Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez passed away on Monday. He was 64.
Jimenez died at his home. His death was unrelated to COVID-19, his family said in a statement.
“Mon J was a beloved husband, father, brother, friend and public servant. He will be greatly missed. We wish to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and support for the family during this difficult time,” the family said in a statement.
“Today, we mourn the loss of Mon Jimenez but we will be forever grateful to him for the growth of the tourism sector, and for promoting the Philippines as a place that is wonderful, joyous and fun,” incumbent Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said in a statement.
Jimenez served as President Benigno Aquino III’s Tourism Secretary from 2011 to 2016. He is the brains behind the country’s tourism slogan “It’s More Fun in the Philippines,” which the Duterte Administration uses to this day.
Puyat acknowledged the policies Jimenez left at the Department of Tourism which helped shape the National Tourism Development Program for 2016 to 2022.
Before joining government, Jimenez was joint CEO of JimenezBasic Advertising from 1998 to 2008 making the agency into the largest creative ad agency in the country.
He worked known Philippine brands such as Jollibee, San Miguel, Cebu Pacific and Selecta Ice Cream among others.
He was a close collaborator of Aquino working with then presidential candidate Noynoy in his campaign and was a marketing consultant for the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation.
He is survived by his daughters, Sassa and Nina Jimenez. (Rommel F. Lopez)