Frasco going on family leave

MANILA, Philippines — Has the controversy over the discredited promotional video for the “Love the Philippines” tourism rebranding campaign – launched just two weeks ago – taken a toll on Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco?

The STAR learned from sources that Frasco will take a break from her work starting this week to take a vacation overseas with her family, including husband Cebu 5th District Rep. Vincent Franco Frasco, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives. It’s not clear yet how long and where she will spend her vacation.

She might not be able to attend the second State of the Nation Address of President Marcos on July 24.

Without directly confirming Frasco’s leave, some officials who spoke to The STAR emphasized it is “common practice” for any official going on leave to tap the next ranking official to take over his or her place.

According to the Department of Tourism’s list of officials available on its website, Frasco’s chief of staff and Undersecretary for legal and special concerns Mae Elaine Bathan ranks next to the secretary and her head executive assistant.

Since the outbreak of the controversy over the rebranding campaign, Frasco has been elusive to members of the media who wished to hear more from her about the issue.

The controversy was spawned by the use of stock footage shot in other countries for the “Love the Philippines” promotional video shown at the launch of the program last June 27 attended by President Marcos.

DDB Philippines, the ad agency tapped for the project, has since apologized for the blunder. Frasco later announced the termination of the DOT’s contract with DDB and emphasized “not a single peso was paid.”

Asked repeatedly by the media if the DOT would retain the controversial slogan, she kept on saying “Love the Philippines!”

The department was still using the “Love the Philippines” logo and slogan during its events last week. It was visible in the photo booths, in buses used for the Philippines Hop-on/Hop-off bus tours in Manila and even on tokens for guests.

Business as usual

Meanwhile, it’s “business as usual” for private tourism stakeholders who insist they are undeterred by the furor over the discredited “Love the Philippines” tourism rebranding campaign.

In an interview yesterday with dwPM Radyo 630, Philippine Tour Operators’ Association (PHILTOA) president Fe Abling-Yu said there is no letup in their “aggressive” drive to promote the country’s tourism, which has been slowly recovering from the impact of the more than two year pandemic-triggered lockdown.

While the slogan for the new tourism campaign could “help” promote Philippine tourism, Yu emphasized tourism businesses such as tour operators “did not bank on the slogan that much kasi kaya namin sa (because we can manage anyway in the) private sector.”

She also lauded the DOT for coming up with a new tourism campaign and addressing the mistakes early on.

“The DOT is properly performing its task of developing tourism. They’re not perfect but Secretary Frasco, being a lawyer, is quick to act,” Yu said mostly in Filipino.

Yu said the issue has not diminished the interest of both foreign and local tourists in exploring the Philippines.

“In the domestic scene, it didn’t pose a problem. We ourselves do the packaging – with images – when we make presentation before clients,” she said.

Meanwhile, Yu said the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions starting last year has contributed to the so-called “revenge tourism” and “revenge tourism spending.”

She cited rising figures of foreign tourists availing themselves of their tour packages.

According to DOT data as of July 5, the country has welcomed a total of 2,767,138 tourists, composed of 2,529,971 foreigners and 237,167 overseas Filipinos.

Travelers from South Korea were so far the most numerous at 683,983, followed by the United States with 506,496, Australia with 136,606, Japan (131,939), Canada (122,865), China (112,837), Taiwan (94,308), United Kingdom (79,513), Singapore (76,778) and Malaysia (50,850).

According to Yu, they would offer tour packages in Manila – which she said is rich in history and heritage – to foreign tourists upon arrival in the country. Eventually, they would choose to proceed to destinations where they could relax.

“We would take them first to nearby places like Tagaytay and Pampanga where is lot to experience. And then slowly we take them to island destinations like Boracay, Coron, El Nido and Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Cebu and Davao,” she said.