Frasco’s Tourism Triumph: Will Marcos’s Revamp Derail a Philippine Renaissance?

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — May 26, 2025

IN THE coastal town of Medellin, Cebu, a small café owner named Elena Castro wipes down tables as she shares her story. “After the pandemic, we had nothing—no tourists, no income,” she says, her voice steady but emotional. “Then Secretary Frasco brought the Tourist Rest Areas and pushed for cultural programs. Now, my café is full of visitors tasting our local dishes.” Elena’s story is one of millions touched by Christina Garcia Frasco’s tenure as the Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary since 2022. Under her leadership, tourism has roared back to life, contributing 8.6% to GDP and employing 6.21 million Filipinos. Yet, as of May 26, 2025, Frasco’s future teeters on the edge, her courtesy resignation tendered amid President Marcos’s cabinet upheaval. Has the “Love the Philippines” fiasco exposed fatal flaws, or is her potential exit a reckless gamble that could stall a sector soaring toward greatness?

Rebuilding a Shattered Industry: Frasco’s Meteoric Rise Amid Chaos

When Frasco took the helm in June 2022, the tourism industry was a ghost of its former glory, its GDP contribution gutted to 5% by the pandemic’s wrath. By 2024, her policies had catapulted revenues to PHP 760 billion—a 26.75% surge past 2019’s pre-COVID peak—delivering a USD 78 billion economic jolt, the highest in ASEAN [Tatler Asia]. Her bold initiatives, like the Tourist Rest Areas (TRAs) and Philippine Experience Program (PEP), have redefined tourism, spotlighting gastronomy, heritage, and eco-tourism [DOT Official Site]. Global honors, including the 2024 World Travel Awards for Asia’s Leading Beach/Dive/Island Destination and Frasco’s own Transformational Leader Award, cement her impact [DOT News]. Her push for sustainability—through Halal tourism like Marhaba Cove in Boracay and LGBTQIA+ inclusivity via the Tourism Pride Summit—has made the Philippines a beacon of progressive tourism.

Yet, recovery wasn’t without thorns. The DOT’s 2023 budget, a paltry PHP 3.57 billion, dwarfed Thailand’s threefold allocation, stunting infrastructure dreams [Rappler]. Arrivals, at 5.9 million in 2024, lag behind Thailand’s 35 million and Vietnam’s 12 million, fueling critics who argue Frasco’s vision falls short on volume. Still, her high-value tourism strategy shines: Filipino visitors spend USD 2,073 per capita and stay 11 nights, trouncing Thailand’s USD 1,500 and Malaysia’s USD 1,200 [Tatler Asia].

Compared to her predecessors, Frasco’s star burns brighter. Berna Romulo-Puyat (2018–2022) grappled with the pandemic’s nadir, with revenues plummeting to PHP 82 billion in 2021, though her Boracay cleanup laid recovery groundwork. Ramon Jimenez Jr. (2011–2016) sparked a boom with “It’s More Fun in the Philippines,” hitting 5.9 million arrivals by 2015, but his tenure lacked Frasco’s infrastructure and niche-market focus [Wikipedia]. Her 8.6% GDP contribution outstrips both, though her lower arrivals highlight a strategic gamble on quality over quantity that Jimenez sidestepped.

“Love the Philippines” or PR Catastrophe? Unpacking the Scandal’s Sting

Frasco’s boldest move—the 2023 “Love the Philippines” campaign—aimed to rebrand tourism as a cultural juggernaut but crashed spectacularly. A promotional video, produced by ad agency DDB Philippines, was exposed for using stock footage from Thailand, Indonesia, and Switzerland, igniting a firestorm [Rappler]. The PHP 49 million rebranding effort, though unpaid for the video, sparked resignation demands, with Frasco’s brief leave in July 2023 amplifying perceptions of mismanagement [Inquirer]. Her swift termination of DDB’s contract showed decisiveness, but the damage lingered.

Politically, the scandal was a lightning rod. As the scion of Cebu’s powerful Garcia family—her mother, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, and grandfather, former Representative Pablo Garcia, are political titans—Frasco’s appointment was seen as a nod to Cebu’s electoral weight [VERA Files]. Cebu officials rallied, labeling the backlash a “demolition job” by rivals eyeing the Garcia clan’s influence in Marcos’s coalition [Philstar]. Analysts speculated Marcos kept her to secure Cebu’s votes, a dynamic that shielded her but stoked accusations of nepotism.

Practically, the DOT’s shoestring budget—PHP 3.57 billion in 2023—forced reliance on external agencies, a misstep that fueled the video debacle [Rappler]. Yet, Frasco’s ability to drive record revenues and global recognition with such constraints showcases her ingenuity. Romulo-Puyat faced similar budget woes but lacked Frasco’s flair for innovation, while Jimenez operated in a less fiscally strained era, dodging such pitfalls.

Keep Frasco or Cut Her Loose? A High-Stakes Decision

Frasco’s 92.7% approval rating in the 2024 “Boses ng Bayan” survey—second only to DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos—builds a rock-solid case for her retention [DOT News]. Her policies have created 6.21 million jobs, transforming lives like Elena Cruz’s, and her high-value tourism focus has driven ASEAN-leading per-capita spending [Tatler Asia]. Securing the 2026 ASEAN Tourism Forum positions the Philippines for a global stage. Her May 22, 2025, resignation appears a political ritual tied to Marcos’s post-midterm shakeup—sparked by the administration’s dismal election showing [Wikipedia]—rather than a verdict on her record. Keeping her would anchor a sector poised for greatness.

But skeptics have a point. The 5.9 million arrivals in 2024 trail regional giants, a gap Frasco’s quality-first approach only partially justifies. A new leader might chase mass arrivals, capitalizing on post-COVID momentum to rival Thailand. Budget woes, though not her doing, have slowed TRA rollouts, and a secretary with stronger political clout could unlock more funding. Still, ousting a top performer risks derailing a sector on the verge of a breakout.

Charting the Future: Bold Moves for Frasco and Marcos

If Frasco stays, she must bridge the budget gap by doubling down on public-private partnerships, as seen in the PEP, to fund TRAs and infrastructure [DOT Official Site]. On branding, she should pivot to authentic, community-led campaigns—featuring voices like Elena Castro’s—to restore trust post-“Love the Philippines.” For Marcos, Frasco’s tenure proves high-value tourism trumps mass arrivals, a lesson from Jimenez’s overcrowding woes. Romulo-Puyat’s sustainability push reminds us that growth must coexist with preservation, a balance Frasco must deepen.

Frasco’s fate—stay or go—mirrors Marcos’s broader governance crossroads. Retaining her signals a commitment to results over politics, preserving a $78 billion economic engine [Tatler Asia]. But her exit could betray a preference for optics, sacrificing a proven leader for fleeting gains. For Elena Castro and millions of Filipinos banking on tourism’s promise, the choice will ripple far beyond Cebu’s shores, determining whether the Philippines can claim its place as Asia’s tourism titan.