Atty. Karen Mae Sarinas-Baydo is the Assistant Chief Operating Officer of the Tourism Enterprise Zone Management Sector (TEZMS) of TIEZA.
Her functions include the general management and administration of the various units under the TEZMS; formulating and implementing policies, guidelines, rules and regulations governing TEZs pursuant to the Tourism Act of 2009 or RA 9593; recommending necessary amendments to existing policies, guidelines, procedures, rules and regulations governing TEZ management/operations; recommending to the COO and the Board of Directors appropriate actions on applicants for TEZ designation/ enterprise registration, master planning for key tourism destinations, and support infrastructure projects in the Flagship TEZs in the Philippines.
At the forefront of her long-term strategic plans is the expansion and accreditation of TEZs and tourism enterprises in the country. The TEZMS thus launched an intensive investment campaign to promote the financial viability of TEZs and the move to streamline the TEZ application process, along with the automation of the issuance of TIEZA permits and licenses.
She is also the Chairperson of the TIEZA Joint Venture Selection Committee (JVSC) and oversees the Joint Venture activities of the Authority covering all aspects of the competitive selection process of its private sector partner for various public-private partnership endeavors, as well as processing unsolicited proposals.
She graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Law in 2007 and passed the Philippine Bar Examinations the following year.