A photographer has retracted his earlier claim that the Department of Tourism (DoT) favored an image of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco over destination photographs for the cover of Philippine Topics, an allegation that had drawn online criticism before he walked it back.

Max Abasalo’s initial social media post, which circulated widely after being picked up by several news organizations, suggested that tourism images from various parts of the country were sidelined in favor of a cover featuring the Tourism chief. The post was later deleted.

In a subsequent Facebook post, Abasalo clarified that he had no direct involvement with the publication and that his comments were based on personal observation rather than verified information.

“I am not affiliated with Philippine Topics, and I did not provide any materials or photos to them,” Abasalo wrote. “My recent post reflected a personal observation made in my capacity as an independent contractor who has previously worked on creative materials on Philippine destinations.”

Weak basis

The clarification effectively weakened the basis of his earlier claim, which had fueled accusations of self-promotion against Frasco and insinuations that public funds were misused.

Records also show that Abasalo was never contracted by the DoT in relation to the magazine. His earlier participation in tourism-related projects was indirect and coursed through his agency, Red Apple, which had been engaged by David and Golyat (D&G) for a separate Creative Assets Project in 2024. That engagement did not include editorial authority or any role in determining magazine content or cover selection.

Abasalo also claimed that his team produced images from nearly 320 tourist sites nationwide, totaling about 236,000 photographs and 6,500 videos. However, the documents reviewed indicate that the materials his agency actually submitted were significantly fewer than the figures he cited.

Philippine Topics is a privately run publication and is not an official government magazine. Editorial decisions, including the choice of cover, were made independently and without direction or coordination from any government office.

The controversy stemmed from the magazine’s maiden issue, whose cover prominently featured the Tourism Secretary. While magazine covers typically reflect editorial discretion and access, the DoT said it had no participation in the publication’s production.

“The Department did not contract, pay, commission, or direct the magazine to produce its cover or feature story. The content, including the selection of images and text, was produced entirely at the magazine’s editorial discretion. The DoT did not provide any photographs, guidance, or funding for the feature,” the DoT said.

A review of the magazine also raised questions about image sourcing. The publication does not appear to maintain a verified Facebook page or an established digital platform. Several photographs in the issue, including the cover image of Secretary Frasco, appear to have been taken from the DoT’s official corporate Facebook page and from the Secretary’s personal account, with some images seemingly cropped or edited in ways that obscured original markings.