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DOT chief grateful for continued support from lawmakers, employees
MANILA, Philippines–In a show of support, employees and officials of the Department of Tourism (DOT) gathered Tuesday morning at the grounds of the central office in Makati City for Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco.
While it was just a normal working day at the department, the employees welcomed the tourism chief with personalized banners indicating their overwhelming and collective support.
The tourism chief said she is grateful for the confidence support that she and the entire Department is receiving from the lawmakers.
“I am deeply grateful for all the messages of support that have poured in reflecting that which we all hold in common: We all love the Philippines. We all genuinely desire for our country’s success. The work under the Marcos Administration to usher in a robust recovery of Philippine tourism continues.”
Support from lawmakers, ex-tourism chiefs
Former tourism secretary Mina Gabor, who served as chief from 1996 to 1998, wrote a personal letter to Secretary Frasco to express her support.
“Just a short note to encourage you as you start your day. I genuinely believe it (Love the Philippines) is authentic and has the legs to go global. Keep on moving forward! ” she said.
Former tourism chief and Senator Richard Gordon, who earlier expressed his support for Frasco, in an interview with One News said, “We have to stop talking about it and move on, not to forget about it, but to make sure we don’t make the deception bigger. I support Love the Philippines because it can be localized. Madaling tandaan.”
Several lawyers have also expressed their support for Secretary Frasco, highlighting the achievements of the Department under her helm as chief since she took office in July last year.
In an article, Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara praised the DOT secretary for the accomplishments of the institution even at the height of the now undeclared global health emergency.
“What the DOT has done over the past two years following the pandemic has been remarkable and with Sec. Frasco leading the charge in declaring the Philippines open for tourists, I am confident that Philippine tourism will be able to reach new heights and the world will see the many reasons to Love the Philippines,” Angara said.
“Clearly there were issues with what was presented by the advertising agency but what is important is that Sec. Frasco acted immediately to address the issue and ensured that no public funds were wasted for this purpose,” the lawmaker added.
“Tourism Sec. Christina Frasco was quick to call out the failures of said agency and to proceed with termination proceedings,” said Senator Pia Cayetano.
“What has happened is truly regrettable, but it’s time to pick up the pieces and focus on promoting our country’s breathtaking destinations. We can all do our part by posting about our favorite Philippine vacation spots, food, events, and festivals,” she added.
Sen. Francis Tolentino also described the move of the DOT as an action to uphold the institution’s excellence.
“Secretary of Tourism Frasco’s decisive move to terminate the Department’s contract with the ad agency pending investigation demonstrates her steadfast commitment to uphold excellence in the DOT. Her integrity and competence will continue to revitalize the country’s tourism industry as we emerge from the recent global pandemic. I urge all stakeholders to support Sec. Frasco in her efforts to promote the Philippines as a top tourist destination in the world,” he said.
Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, a member of the Senate Committee on Tourism, also expressed his support to Secretary Frasco while also urging Filipinos to work together to further improve tourism in the country.
“With this, I continue to support Tourism Sec. Christina Garcia Frasco and the rest of DOT for their efforts to further improve our country’s tourism sector. I laud their immediate actions in addressing the issue that the promotional video has caused and in ensuring that public funds are not wasted. Instead of dwelling on the problem, let us work together to provide solutions,” the senator said.
For his part, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada commended the DOT’s responsible handling of the situation.
“By swiftly acknowledging the gaffe and taking immediate steps to rectify it, the DOT, under the leadership of Sec. Christina Frasco demonstrated a dedication to maintaining the integrity of our tourism industry,” he said.
“It is through proactive measures that we can continue to promote the Philippines as a premier tourist destination while ensuring accuracy and responsible marketing practices,” he further noted.
Likewise, Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. also commended the DOT for its swift action, noting that it made a “justified” move to terminate the contract with the contracted ad agency.
“The efforts of the DOT under the very able stewardship of Sec. Christina Frasco in the past year to help rehabilitate local industries which suffered tremendously with the global shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic should not be obscured by the failure and mistake of DDB Philippines which was not only beyond, but utterly in contravention of its obligations to DOT under their agreement,” he said.
“Saludo po tayo sa ating Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco at sa bumubuo ng Kagawaran ng Turismo sa pagtatahi ng turismo sa ating pag-ibig sa ating Inang Bayan. Hangad ko po na tumagos sa puso ng lahat ang diwa nito: na magmumula sa pagmamahal sa ating makulay na tradisyon at kultura, mayamang likas na yaman, at kapwa Pilipino ang pagyabong ng ating turismo. Napakaganda ng Pilipinas, Love the Philippines,” said Senator Robin Padilla.
To recall, some officials from Cebu province signed a manifesto this week to express their support for the tourism chief.
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Published:July 5, 2023
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