MANILA, Philippines — A group of officials on Monday declared their “full and unwavering support” to the Department of Tourism and to Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco amid the criticisms over the “Love the Tourism” campaign.
In a manifesto of support signed by dozens of officials, One Cebu Island, composed of lawmakers, city and municipal mayors as well as councilors said they stood by Frasco, a fellow Cebuano and daughter of the provincial governor. They called the recent criticisms against the DOT and Frasco a “coordinated demolition job” directed at the latter’s leadership.
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DOT and Frasco have been under public scrutiny after the launch of the P49 million-worth “Love the Philippines” tourism campaign that replaced the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” slogan.
Over the weekend, DOT and its contracted agency, DDB Philippines, came under fire after it was discovered that it used stock footage from tourist destinations abroad in a video for the launch of the new tourism campaign.
The DOT said it investigated the allegations and DDB subsequently apologized to the agency, Frasco and the Filipino people for the “unfortunate oversight.”
The marketing agency also said that the video was “intended to be a mood video to excite internal stakeholders about the campaign.”
Following DDB’s apology, the DOT on Monday said it “hereby exercises its right to proceed with termination proceedings against its contract with DDB.”
The tourism department has yet to inform the public if it will push through with the “Love the Philippines” campaign.
'Smear campaign'
Amid the exchange of statements that drew widespread criticisms and earned global attention, the Cebu officials consider the impact of the issue a “smear campaign” against Frasco.
They said that the issue mislead the public “into believing that the DOT already spent a hefty sum of about P50 million for it.”
Both the DOT and DDB clarified that there was no amount paid or will be paid for the tourism video in question.
“Given the circumstances, it is not difficult to see that the goal of all this is to sabotage the great accomplishments of the DOT Secretary, who continues to deliver to the administration of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.” One Cebu Island said.
“We maintain that this barrage of criticisms in social and mainstream media is aimed at destroying neither the DOT nor the concerned private advertisement agency, but Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco herself,” it added.
“We strongly believe this demolition job to be perpetrated by individuals with their own questionable agenda, perhaps to sway the trust and confidence of President Marcos in a Cebuana — who represents the very island that delivered the highest number of votes to the President and the Vice President in the 2022 Presidential Elections,” it furthered.
In defending Frasco, the group of Cebuano officials commended the former Liloan mayor’s leadership.
It cited that Frasco is among the top-performing Cabinet officials based on a survey, second to Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr.. She was also elected vice president of the United Nations World Tourism Organization and Chair of the UNWTO Commission for East Asia and the Pacific last month.
The last time the Philippines was elected chair of the UNWTO commission was in 1994, or 24 years ago.
“We are well aware that, in all her years as a public servant, Secretary Garcia-Frasco has always taken extra care to preserve and maintain the honor, integrity, and dignity of her office; she has an impeccable track record as a lawyer, and as a multi-awarded three-term mayor of Liloan,” the group said.
“We, as a united One Cebu Island, express our extreme displeasure and strongly condemn the patent mudslinging and dirty politicking directed at Secretary Garcia-Frasco. We, as a Cebuano people, will not tolerate any black propaganda aimed solely at sullying the reputation of Secretary Garcia-Frasco,” it concluded.
Prior to her appointment as tourism secretary, Frasco served as the mayor of the Municipality of Liloan from 2016 to 2022. She is the daughter of Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia and wife of Rep. Vincent Franco "Duke" Frasco (Cebu, Fifth District).
The tourism chief also served as the spokesperson of Vice President Sara Duterte during the 2022 elections.
Frasco practiced international arbitration and commercial litigation at the Romulo Law Firm and taught as a professor at the University of San Carlos College of Law before entering public service.