Frasco Now Wants Her Face Removed from PH Tourism Materials

You might have noticed something odd while checking out the latest travel brochures or passing by tourism banners lately. Instead of the white sands of Boracay or the rolling hills of Batanes, you were likely greeted by the smiling face of Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco. After being called out for using government funds to plaster her image everywhere, the Secretary has finally ordered all Department of Tourism offices to tear down any materials featuring her face.

^{Image credit: Screengrab from GMA NEWS' cover of Senate Committee Hearing on Tourism | YouTube}

This move follows a tense showdown at the Senate where Senator Raffy Tulfo didn't hold back, presenting evidence of the Secretary appearing like a cover girl on promotional magazines. While the public expects to see the beauty of the Philippines, they were instead getting a heavy dose of what many consider blatant self-promotion. Frasco tried to defend the high visibility of her image by claiming it was simply a byproduct of her doing her job.

Also read: PH Tourism Chief Christina Frasco Called Out Over Magazine Cover as Tourist Numbers Decline

The tension peaked when she addressed the accusations directly, stating, "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." Despite this defense, the sheer volume of materials featuring her face made it hard for critics to believe it was all just a happy accident, especially when the focus should be on the country's destinations.

^{Image credit: Christina Frasco Official Instagram}

Frasco has now issued a formal directive to clear the air. She said, "I have already issued an order—as far as we are concerned to the DOT—to take down any material that may bear my image, and to not produce any material that may bear my image." This order extends to regional offices and even involves a request to local government units to scrub her image from their displays to avoid further "distraction" from national concerns.

From now on, the department promises to keep their corporate updates separate from actual tourism marketing. This means the Secretary’s activities should stay on official reports while the actual travel ads focus on the spots you actually want to visit. For the Filipino taxpayer, this is a long-overdue shift to ensure that tourism money is spent on attracting visitors to our islands, not building a brand for a politician.

^{Featured Image credit: Department of Tourism | Facebook}