The Department of Tourism addressed online discussions following a now-deleted Facebook post by advertising and production executive Max Abasolo that criticized the cover image of a privately produced magazine featuring Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco.
In his post, Abasolo wrote that his team had shot tourist sites across Regions 1 to 13, citing nearly 320 destinations, 236,000 photos, and 6,500 video materials, and questioned the use of a cover image showing the tourism secretary instead of destination imagery. Although the post was later taken down, screenshots circulated on social media, drawing comments that focused on the prominence of the secretary on the magazine cover.
The image referenced was from the first issue of Philippine Topics, which carried the banner “Philippine Pavilion at Osaka Expo 2025 Draws Crowds Travel Interest Skyrockets.” The 82-page magazine, available for free, was produced by YJS Advertising and Marketing Corp., edited and printed by B-Ticket Inc., and issued jointly by both companies in December 2025. Pages four to 13 featured coverage of the Department of Tourism, Secretary Frasco, the Philippine Pavilion at the Osaka World Expo 2025, the National Tourism Development Plan 2023–2028, and tourism prospects in the Japanese market.
In a statement, the Department of Tourism said Philippine Topics is a privately run publication and not an official DOT magazine. The department said it did not contract, pay, commission, or direct the publication to feature the secretary on its cover or in its stories, adding that the content was produced solely at the magazine’s editorial discretion. The DOT also said it did not provide photographs, guidance, or funding for the feature.
The department further clarified that the magazine’s coverage related to World Expo Osaka 2025 was undertaken independently by the publication’s editorial team and not in coordination with the DOT. It denied claims suggesting the use of public office or resources for personal promotion, calling such allegations false and misleading.
Addressing references to the photographer’s claims, the DOT said it did not supply, select, approve, or endorse any photograph used in the magazine and rejected implications that it favored an image of the secretary over destination-focused materials. The department said it viewed the spread of false claims with serious concern and reiterated its commitment to transparency, accountability, and ethical tourism promotion.
