Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said she will remain at the helm of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and continue performing her duties despite online backlash and criticism from what she described as “detractors.”

“I serve at the pleasure of the President, and I am very grateful that Malacañang has twice affirmed my continuation of this job. You have seen me work; we have been together in all of the regions of the country. We already visited over 70 percent of all our provinces to really make the work of tourism felt,” Frasco told selected reporters during a luncheon last Tuesday.

She underscored the economic importance of the sector, saying, “our fellow Filipinos deserve to have a share in it, wherever they may be in the country.”

As of November 2025, Frasco said the tourism industry employed nearly seven million Filipinos, with indirect benefits reaching more than 16 million. Tourism also contributed almost nine percent of the country’s gross domestic product, with P3.86 trillion in receipts recorded in 2024.

Tourism receipts, or expenditures by international inbound visitors—including payments to national carriers for international transport—reached P694 billion last year based on Bureau of Immigration-recorded arrivals, she added.

Official figures are expected to be released by the Philippine Statistics Authority in July.

Not running for national post

Frasco also dismissed claims that she is positioning herself for a national elective post in 2028, saying such accusations fueled criticisms against her.

“Unfortunately, that has been grossly misinterpreted as self-promotion. Eh hindi naman ako tatakbo for any national position. The thing is, I have only ever worked the way I know how, and that is to be present, on the ground, responsive, to listen when needed, and to act as urgently as possible,” she said.

She added that tourism promotion is being carried out by the DOT’s foreign offices, branding and marketing teams, regional offices, and the Tourism Promotions Board, stressing that transparency has been a priority.

“That is why I have a lot of photos, working photos,” Frasco said.

She explained that most of the images circulated online show her engaging with tourism stakeholders such as tour guides, operators, travel agents, and local officials.

“Because I am on the ground, because that’s the work of tourism development required in a country of more than 7,000 islands,” she said.

“You cannot promote and develop the Philippines by confining yourself here in Manila and by posing in magazines. You have to be there, on the ground,” she added.

Frasco faced criticism toward the end of 2025 after a magazine, Philippine Topics, featured her image instead of destination photos. The DOT earlier said it did not contract, pay, commission, or direct the publication to produce its cover or feature story.

Frasco said she was neither interviewed nor asked permission for the use of her photos, adding that the magazine—first published in December—was allegedly intended to damage her reputation.

“They carried weight because those who seek to destroy give them weight. Honestly, I am confident in the work that we’ve done because we have done the work,” she said.

“Hopefully, the truth will come to light. More than any personal battle, this is a battle for the truth that is waged in the daily lives of our fellow Filipinos,” she added.

Photographer Max Abasalo later retracted his earlier social media claims alleging that the DOT favored Frasco’s image over destination photographs for the magazine cover.

In a subsequent Facebook post, Abasalo clarified that he was not affiliated with Philippine Topics and that his remarks 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.”