DOT exec under fire for post claiming she prioritized helping friend in Japan over nat'l meeting

MANILA, Philippines — Tourism Undersecretary for legal and special concerns Mae Elaine Bathan, also the chief of staff of Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, drew criticisms following her Facebook post where she allegedly prioritized helping a friend in Japan while in a meeting about national concerns.

In a viral public Facebook post being shared by netizens across social media platforms, Bathan shared a screenshot of her supposed conversation with her best friend Regal Oliva, also the Mandaue City Treasurer lawyer. Bathan shared that Oliva sought her assistance as the latter “needed help on Google Translate” that prompted her to stop her meeting about a national issue.

“When your bestfriend calls you because she needed help on Google Translate so she can eat and thrive in Japan, all else will have to stop. Even if it’s about the airport takeover and privatization,” Bathan’s caption read. She also tagged Oliva in her post with the screenshot of their conversation.

Oliva also took to Facebook to share her account while in Japan, captioning it as “True Story.”

She said that she cannot find an English menu in Japan while craving Japanese cuisine so she called her “bestie,” Bathan.

“She was in a middle of a very important meeting that concerns a sensitive national issue,” Oliva wrote, and then attaching a transcript of their conversation where she is supposedly asking Bathan to teach her how to use Google Translate.

Bathan allegedly replied: “Maaaa, you don’t know what meeting I had to stop for this, but ok…,” Oliva wrote, recounting that her best friend gave instructions.

The Department of Tourism official was also quoted as saying “Hahaha – feeding you in Japan is more important that matters of national concern Ma.”

The screenshot of these two Facebook posts circulated on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) and garnered negative reactions from online users. The two has verified Facebook accounts.

They called for explanation about the DOT official’s move to consider feeding her friend in Japan “more important that matters of national concern.”

“Atty. Elaine Tantengco Bathan and Atty. Regal Oliva can you please explain to us why feeding a friend in Japan is more