A free publication released by the Department of Tourism (DOT) became the subject of widespread online discussion after a Facebook user questioned the choice of imagery on its cover, which prominently features Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco.
The criticism surfaced through a now-viral post by a netizen using the name “Max,” who expressed frustration over the final presentation of the magazine. In the post, the uploader claimed to have been part of extensive documentation work carried out for the DOT across multiple regions nationwide, only to see none of those locations reflected on the cover.
According to the post, the documentation effort allegedly spanned from Region 1 to Region 13 and covered roughly 320 tourist destinations. The same post cited a volume of materials produced, amounting to more than 236,000 photographs and about 6,500 video files.
“Yung pinag-shoot n’yo kami ng Region 1 to Region 13… almost 320 tourist spot. 236,000 photos. 6,500 video materials. Tapos eto lang pala ilalagay n’yo, DOT,” the post read.
The message quickly gained traction and prompted mixed reactions from social media users, ranging from agreement with the criticism to sarcastic remarks and speculation about the magazine’s internal pages.
Among the comments circulating online were:
“you have a point and millions of peso on liquidation pero ex deal pala karamihan kasi DOT daw….hehehe”
“Baka may inside pages naman sir… or upcoming almanac.”
“sya na ba ang bagong ‘perlas ng silangan’ HAHAHAHAHA.”
As of 4:27 p.m. on December 29, the original post was no longer visible on the uploader’s Facebook account.
“Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We understand the public’s interest and feedback on our publications. We have raised this concern to our head for review regarding the cover page of the DOT’s free magazine to ensure that all content aligns with our standards and objectives. We value constructive feedback as it helps us improve our communications and better serve the public,” the DOT stated.
