Christina Frasco Leaves DOT for New Climate Advisory Role

Controversial Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary, Christina Frasco, leaves post to move to a different office.

After months of public annoyance over her "self-promotion" branding, where her face was plastered all over government materials instead of the actual travel destinations. While the Palace is officially framing this as a promotion to help communities handle climate change, the timing suggests a move to quiet the noise surrounding her leadership.

The backlash over her self-promotion became a daily talking point for many Filipinos who felt the tourism budget was being spent on a personal PR campaign. It got so heated that Frasco eventually had to tell her own regional offices to tear down any posters or brochures that featured her image. She claimed she was just being a "visible" worker, but to the public, it looked like she was using her position to boost her own name.

Also read: Frasco Now Wants Her Face Removed from PH Tourism Materials

Cabinet revamp and tourism performance issues

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Speculation about Frasco being replaced has been brewing since late 2025. It is no secret that the tourism sector has been under the microscope lately. Critics frequently pointed out that visitor numbers were not quite where they should be compared to our neighbors in Southeast Asia.

Beyond the branding issues, the department’s actual performance was frequently questioned. Between the slow recovery of the industry and the constant focus on the Secretary’s appearances, many felt a change was overdue. The President has now tasked her with a new role as an adviser on sustainable and resilient communities, which moves her out of the spotlight and into a desk job at the Palace.

New DOT leadership and officer in charge

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With Frasco moving to her new office, the DOT is currently in a transition phase. Undersecretary Verna Buensuceso is taking over as the officer in charge for now. There is already a lot of talk that Dita Angara-Mathay, a trade representative currently in Tokyo, will be the permanent pick for the position.

Malacañang was being a bit shy about the final name earlier Thursday. Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro hinted that official appointment papers might not be signed or announced until Friday.

For most of us, Cabinet reshuffles feel like something that only happens in big air-conditioned rooms in Manila. However, these leadership changes usually filter down to how our local destinations are managed and how much support small travel businesses actually get.

The President says he is confident in Frasco’s new role because of her experience with local governments. She is now tasked with making sure national climate projects actually happen at the community level. Whether she will try to be as "visible" in this new role remains to be seen, but for now, the tourism posters might finally start featuring the Philippines again instead of her face.

The permanent head of the DOT will likely be named very soon, and their first order of business will be fixing the department's reputation. Keeping an eye on these leadership changes helps Filipinos understand where their taxes are going and how local travel will be promoted in the future.

^{Featured image credit: christinafrasco | Instagram}