DOT under fire over Frasco’s magazine cover feature

MANILA, Philippines – Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco was under fire after a photographer criticized her appearance on a magazine cover.

In a now-deleted Facebook post, photographer Max Abasolo criticized the DOT for featuring Frasco prominently on the magazine cover of Philippine Topics when he and his team were asked to capture several prominent tourist spots nationwide.

“You made us shoot almost 320 tourist spots from Region 1 to Region 13. 236,000 photos, 6,500 video materials, and this is all you would use, DOT,” he wrote in Filipino.

Other netizens also took the opportunity to call out the DOT for supposedly promoting Frasco herself more than actual Philippine destinations.

Some online users also pointed out several store signs in Catmon, Cebu, which prominently featured the Frasco name. Catmon is located in Cebu’s 5th district, where Frasco’s husband Duke serves as district representative.

‘Misleading claims’

The DOT on Wednesday, December 31, denied allegations that Philippine Topics is an official magazine of the department. According to the department, Philippine Topics is a private publication and independently covered activities tied to the World Expo Osaka 2025 for the feature.

The DOT also denied supplying the photograph featured on the cover.

“At no time did the Department instruct, select, approve, or endorse any photograph for the magazine. Any implication that the DOT chose or favored the use of an image of the Secretary over destination-focused materials is entirely false and without factual basis,” the DOT wrote.

The tourism department also lambasted the spread of what it described as false and misleading information and renewed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the ethical promotion of Philippine tourism. – Rappler.com