Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said she has no intention of leaving her post, underscoring that she continues to lead the Department of Tourism even as criticism directed at her circulates online.
Speaking to reporters during a luncheon last Tuesday, Frasco said her mandate remains anchored on promoting tourism nationwide and that online commentary has not altered how she approaches the job. She pointed to repeated assurances from Malacañang that she remains in office, adding that her work has involved extensive travel across the country to engage with local stakeholders and tourism workers.
“I serve at the pleasure of the President and I am very grateful that Malacañang has twice affirmed my continuation in this job. You have seen me work. We have been to all the regions of the country together. We have visited over 70 percent of our provinces to really make the work of tourism felt,” she said.
Frasco said tourism’s contribution to the economy explains why the department continues to prioritize nationwide engagement, noting that its benefits extend beyond major destinations. “The economic impact of tourism is so high and our fellow Filipinos deserve to have a share in it, wherever they may be in the country,” she said.
Government estimates show that as of November 2025, tourism-related activities supported close to seven million jobs, with indirect benefits reaching more than 16 million Filipinos. The sector accounted for nearly nine percent of gross domestic product and generated P3.86 trillion in receipts in 2024.
Based on arrival records from the Bureau of Immigration, Frasco said inbound visitor spending, including payments to local carriers for international travel, reached P694 billion last year.
Addressing claims that she has prioritized personal exposure over destination marketing, Frasco said the criticism was driven by speculation that she intends to seek national office in 2028, which she denied. “Unfortunately, that has been grossly misinterpreted as self-promotion. I am not running for any national position,” she said, adding that her public presence reflects fieldwork with tourism workers, local officials, and private-sector partners.
She said promotional work continues through overseas offices, regional units, and the Tourism Promotions Board, and that public-facing materials often document official activities. “We have never stopped promoting the Philippines,” she said, emphasizing that tourism development requires on-the-ground engagement across an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands.
The backlash intensified late last year after a newly launched magazine, Philippine Topics, featured her image on its cover, drawing accusations that the department favored her photo over destination imagery. The tourism department said it had no role in producing or commissioning the publication, a position Frasco reiterated, adding that she was neither interviewed nor asked for consent to use her photos.
“It carried weight because those who seek to destroy me gave it weight. Honestly, I am confident in the work that we’ve done,” she said, adding that she remains open about challenges facing the sector.
Separately, photographer Max Abasalo later withdrew an earlier social media post suggesting the department influenced the magazine’s cover choice. In a subsequent Facebook post, he said he was not connected to the publication and clarified that his comments were based on personal observation rather than verified information.
Frasco said official tourism performance figures for 2025 are expected to be released by the Philippine Statistics Authority in July.
