MANILA, Philippines — Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco on Wednesday ordered the removal of all Department of Tourism (DOT) materials bearing her photograph and instructed regional offices to stop producing similar content, following criticism during Senate hearings over alleged “self-promotion.”
Speaking at a media forum, Frasco said she directed DOT regional offices to take down existing materials featuring her image, even as she denied ever issuing any instruction to display it in the first place.
“I have already issued an order to the DOT to remove any material that may bear my image, and to not produce any material that may bear my image,” Frasco said during Kapihan sa Manila Bay.
She added that the department would also ask local government units to refrain from using her photo in tourism-related materials.
Frasco described the controversy as a distraction from more urgent matters affecting the tourism industry.
“There are so many other things that we need to consider that are of national importance,” she said.
She reiterated that there was never an order to place her image in DOT materials. “There is no order to revoke because there has never been such an order to put up my image to begin with,” she added.
The issue arose during a Senate Committee on Tourism hearing on Tuesday when Senator Raffy Tulfo presented slides showing magazines and promotional materials featuring Frasco.
Tulfo said tourism campaigns should prioritize destinations over government officials.
Frasco dismissed the allegation, saying her public visibility stems from her official duties and not political motives.
“The accusation is that I am very visible because I wish to promote myself. But there may be room for the argument that I am very visible because I’m simply working, nothing else,” she said.
She also clarified she has no plans to run for any national office, calling claims of self-promotion “unfounded.”
Frasco explained that DOT operates separate corporate and marketing platforms. Corporate platforms report on departmental programs and projects for transparency, while marketing platforms focus solely on promoting Philippine tourism destinations and products.
“As far as the marketing platform is concerned, we have evidence to prove that the destinations, products, and merits of the Philippines have been the singular subject of promotion,” Frasco said.