A photographer reportedly criticized the cover of a magazine released by the tourism department that prominently featured the secretary’s image.
Reports state that a certain “Max” claimed the Department of Tourism (DOT) tasked them with photographing “almost 320 tourist spots” across all regions of the country, only for the agency to feature another image.
“‘Yung pinag-shoot [niyo kami] ng Region 1 to Region 13… almost 320 tourist [spots]. 236,000 photos. 6,500 video materials. Tas [ito] lang palaaa lalagay [niyo], DOT,” he reportedly said in a now-deleted Facebook post.
Reports said it went viral before it was removed from the platform, prompting several comments from other users with similar reactions.
“Siya na ba ang bagong ‘perlas ng silangan,’ HAHAHAHAHA,” a Facebook user was quoted as saying.
“You have a point and millions of peso on liquidation, pero ex deal pala karamihan kasi DOT daw… hehehe,” another user reportedly wrote.
“Her photo takes up more space than the tourist spot itself, you’d almost forget the magazine is about Philippine tourism, travel and economy. It’s hard to tell which part of the Philippines is being featured when the politician is clearly the main attraction,” a different Pinoy said.
The photographer was referring to a free magazine released by the DOT titled “Philippine Topics.”
It prominently featured Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco on the cover, set against a picturesque backdrop. However, it was her image that was the most noticeable.
A Threads user quipped that the agency appeared to be promoting Frasco instead of the country.
Another Facebook user also shared photos of the Frasco name being repeatedly featured in store labels in Cebu, where her husband, Rep. Duke Frasco, is a representative of its Fifth District.
“Ay juskopo! This is not AI [artificial intelligence],” Lokalpedia photographer and researcher John Sherwin Felix wrote on Monday, December 29.
Other users also shared various instances of the Frascos prominently featuring them in giveaways and other promotions.
“Very trapo talaga. Na para bang sarili nilang pera ‘yung ginagamit nila. Welcome to the Garcia–Frasco verse,” a user wrote.
Meanwhile, Balita sought the DOT’s side on the issue concerning its free magazine.
“Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We understand the public’s interest and feedback on our publications,” the agency reportedly said in an email.
“We have raised this concern to our head for review regarding the cover page of the DOT’s free magazine to ensure that all content aligns with our standards and objectives. We value constructive feedback as it helps us improve our communications and better serve the public,” it added.
Public officials who prominently feature their images or names in projects and initiatives are often branded as “epal,” a term used to refer to a person who inappropriately presents himself in situations.
