SEEMS LIKE 2026 started bad for Tourism Secretary Ma. Christina Garcia- Frasco.
First, a photographer whom she allegedly commissioned to shoot from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao decried the use of a file photo of her for a private magazine that had her for its cover instead of the thousands of shots done but were all just discarded.
Next, the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged the questionable fund disbursements in 2024 totalling P48.832 million due to missing or insufficient supporting documents.
To recall, her husband, Liloan Cong. Duke Frasco brought her and other local government officials to London just when tropical storm Tino was lashing the entire province (including his district, Liloan) and just soon after a deadly earthquake devastated the entire Cebu leaving so many dead, and destroying private properties and government infrastructures.
Stories on the London trip caused a public outcry and the officials were ordered to explain why such travel could not be shortened or aborted to help their constituency.
STATE AUDITOR’S REPORT
COA said the Department of Tourism (DOT) central office (CO) and regional offices (ROs) IV-B, IX, X and XI disbursed a total of P48.832 million for various transactions but failed to submit documents necessary to establish the validity of the expenses.
“The lack of certain documentary requirements in the disbursement totaling P48,832,191.57, paid by the DOT CO and ROs IV-B, IX, X, and XI, led to non-compliance with various accounting, auditing and budgeting LRRs (law, rules and regulations) and issuances, thereby casting doubt on the propriety of these transactions,” the COA report was quoted by the Philippine Star.
The audit showed that the bulk of the questionable disbursements came from the CO, which accounted for P39.183 million for alleged payments to “foreign service providers” related to the DOT’s participation and sponsorship in tourism events.
DEFECTIVE DISBURSEMENTS
COA noted that while the payments were covered by five disbursement vouchers, they lacked the required certification of availability of funds from the CO’s chief accountant.
Additional deficiencies cited included the improper use of budget terminology, lack of details on the source of funds and the absence of Certification of Budget Allotment in project proposals.
DoT RO IX was flagged for P8.826 million in disbursements for salaries and wages of regular and job order personnel.
The regional office was also cited for granting Collective Negotiation Agreement incentives of P30,000 each to 13 employees, or P388,500 in total, without sufficient supporting documents.
SHADOW OF CORRUPTION
RO X, for its part, was flagged over its procurement of furniture sets worth P364,200, which were certified as inspected and accepted despite incomplete delivery and non-compliance.
COA also flagged RO IV-B’s disbursements amounting to P55,962.52 for repair and maintenance expenses, citing the absence of required documents.
RO XI was likewise cited for P14,396.45 in reimbursements for the travel expenses of three job order personnel, as the submitted documents lacked the required certifications.
MAGAZINE SPONSORSHIP
The DoT labeled as “false and misleading” the claims insinuating that government funds were used for the newbie Philippine Tropics magazine that shows Frasco on its cover.
The DOT stressed that Philippine Topics is a private publication and not an official magazine of the DOT. “The Department did not contract, pay, commission, or direct the magazine to produce its cover or feature story,” the DOT statement was quoted by Politiko..
“The content, including the selection of images and text, was produced entirely at the magazine’s editorial discretion.”
The DoT said it “did not provide any photographs, guidance, or funding for the feature. Philippine Topics independently covered activities related to World Expo Osaka 2025 and used its own coverage in their magazine.”
“Any claim suggesting that the Department or the Secretary used public office or resources for personal promotion is false, misleading, and expressly denied,” the statement said.
PREFERRED PHOTOGRAPH
The DOT also addressed the now-deleted Facebook post by photographer Max Abasolo, which read: “You made us shoot from Region 1 to Region 13… almost 320 tourist spots, 236,000 photos, 6,500 video materials. Then this is the one you use, DOT.”
“With respect to claims made by a certain photographer, the DOT clarifies that it did not supply the photograph in question to Philippine Topics. 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 said.
“The Department views the dissemination of these false claims with serious concern. Misrepresenting official acts, fabricating affiliations, or implying improper use of public resources undermines public trust and misleads the public,” it added.
The department said it remains steadfast in its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the ethical promotion of Philippine tourism.
WHEN IT MATTERS MOST
Last November, Cebu 5th District Rep. Duke Frasco and seven mayors from his district faced administrative and criminal complaints before the Ombudsman Visayas for abandoning posts to travel to London at the height of Typhoon Tino which killed over 200 people, mostly in Cebu.
A complaint, filed by Atty. Julito Anora of Cebu accused the officials of “gross negligence, grave misconduct, dereliction of duty, and breach of public trust” for being abroad while their towns were suffering from floods.
Summoned by the Ombudsman-Visayas to explain such heartless travel were: Liloan Mayor Aljew Fernando Frasco, Catmon Mayor Avis Ginoo-Monleon, San Francisco Mayor Alfredo Arquillano Jr., Tudela Mayor Greman Solante, Pilar Mayor Manuel Santiago, Compostela Mayor Felijur Quiño, and Poro Mayor Edgar Rama.