The Department of Tourism has denied claims that its official Facebook page serves as a 'PR machinery' for Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco. The denial follows criticism from a Facebook user accusing the page of promoting the secretary personally. The DOT stated that the page is dedicated solely to updates on its programs and policies.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Department of Tourism (DOT) denied allegations that its official Facebook page operates as a 'PR machinery' for Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco. 'The Department of Tourism would like to clear the air and correct a claim that is simply not true: our official Facebook pages are not being used for political or personal purposes,' the agency said.
The statement came in response to a post by Facebook user John Sherwin Felix, who claimed that 'the DOT has officially become Frasco’s PR machinery.' Felix, a former public relations practitioner and advocate for Filipino food heritage, pointed out posts that 'focused on Christina,' as well as comments 'filled with repetitive praises from suspicious-looking profiles.' He further noted, 'Spot the difference between the (DOT) page and the tourism pages of other Southeast Asian countries. No wonder we have one of the lowest tourist arrivals. The DOT under Christina Frasco feels more like a political asset than a tourism agency.'
The DOT clarified that its Facebook page, which has around 1.5 million followers, is used 'for updates on DOT programs, policies, advisories, and major initiatives – so the public gets accurate, timely information straight from us.' This approach aims to provide the public with direct and reliable information from the agency itself.
