HelloSafe pedals back ‘unsafe’ tag

A global travel insurance firm admitted having erred in branding the Philippines one of the “least safe countries in the world in 2025” and to make up for its mistake, HelloSafe removed its report and issued a public apology to Filipinos.

“Following strong reactions from Filipino citizens, media, and institutions in response to our recent global travel safety ranking, HelloSafe has decided to suspend the publication of said ranking as of 20 June 2025,” the firm said in a statement posted on its website hellosafe.com on 15 July.

Pledging to carry out a “full audit of the methodology and criteria used in its creation,” the company “wish(ed) to express our sincere regrets for the misunderstanding and negative perception that may have resulted from this publication,” as well as the “confusion and distress this may have caused.”

The public apology came after the Department of Tourism complained, DAILY TRIBUNE has learned.

In a letter dated 20 June 2025, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco called on HelloSafe to remove the article, apologize publicly, and ensure that future reports involving the Philippines are fact-checked and are based on credible sources.

The DoT described the report, titled “The Philippines, Colombia and Mexico Emerge as the 3 Least Safe Countries in the World in 2024,” as “false and misleading,” saying that it inflicted reputational harm and undermined tourism efforts.

“We cannot allow an arbitrary and unsubstantiated figure to misrepresent the Philippines,” Frasco wrote. “Such information... caused unwarranted alarm and inflicted damage to our country’s reputation and goodwill.”

The letter was addressed to the HelloSafe founders and its director of public relations at their headquarters in France.

Respect reaffirmed

On 15 July, HelloSafe issued a public statement confirming that it had taken down the article and suspended its global travel safety ranking “pending a full audit of the methodology and criteria used.”

The company expressed “sincere regrets for the misunderstanding and negative perception” caused by its publication and reaffirmed its respect for the Philippines and its people.

The apology, however, did not disclose that it was issued in response to a government letter or that it came nearly four weeks after the DoT sent its formal demand.

In a separate statement, the DoT welcomed HelloSafe’s retraction but reiterated the need for greater responsibility when publishing global rankings. It underscored that the reputational damage has not yet been undone.

“As the DoT moves forward with implementing the National Tourism Development Plan 2023–2028, we expect the Philippines to be represented fairly, truthfully, and with the dignity that our people, destinations, and tourism workers rightfully deserve,” Frasco said.

She noted that the article’s headline and framing remained accessible on international platforms and continued to distort the public perception about the Philippines.

“The DoT reiterates the importance of transparency in methodology and sourcing, especially in global rankings that carry real consequences for a country’s reputation and its tourism industry,” Frasco said.

The DoT cited industry-wide concern over the report.

Several groups, including the Philippine Hotel Owners Association, Pacific Asia Travel Association, Philippine IATA Agents Travel Association, Philippine Travel Agencies Association and Philippine Tour Operators Association, slammed the article as misleading.

In a Facebook post dated 19 June, Frasco had criticized HelloSafe for its lack of transparency and credibility, pointing out the use of unverified sources and recycled safety scores across multiple countries.