Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco has been recognized as one of the highest-rated cabinet officials in the Marcos administration for the year 2024, earning a remarkable 92% job performance rating in the “Boses ng Bayan” nationwide survey conducted by the RP- Mission and Development (RPMD) Foundation Inc.
Secretary Frasco’s high rating places her in the top three performing cabinet members, tied for second place with Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, who received a 91% rating, and just behind Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian, who topped the list with a 94% rating.
Reflecting on the recognition, Secretary Frasco emphasized the collaborative spirit behind the DOT’s accomplishments and the importance of inclusive, transformative governance in the tourism sector.
“This recognition is not mine alone—it belongs to every hardworking individual in the Department of Tourism and our partners in the public and private sectors who have devoted themselves to the mission of rebuilding and transforming our industry under the vision of our President in the past three years,” said Frasco.
“I express my gratitude to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. whose leadership empowers us to pursue bold and inclusive programs that uplift the lives of millions of Filipinos. This inspires us to work even harder to fulfill our shared aspiration of a globally competitive yet distinctly Filipino brand of tourism,” added the tourism chief.
Tourism renaissance under Marcos administration
In 2024, under Secretary Frasco’s leadership, the tourism sector emerged as a formidable economic force, generating a record high of PHP760 billion in revenue—equivalent to approximately USD13 billion.
This represents an impressive 9.04% increase from the previous year and a remarkable 126% recovery compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. According to the Labor Force Survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), tourism directly or indirectly employs 16.4 million Filipinos, underscoring its critical role in national development.
Secretary Frasco’s tenure has been defined by an inclusive and transformative brand of leadership.
From the outset of her tenure, she also adopted a grassroots, whole-of-government approach to tourism development, engaging directly with tourism stakeholders across the country and overseas and translating their insights into actionable strategies under the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2023–2028.
Secretary Frasco has reinvigorated domestic tourism, championed the promotion of Filipino heritage and culture through initiatives such as the Philippine Experience Program: Heritage, Culture, and Arts Caravans, and launched aggressive international promotions under the banner of the Love the Philippines enhanced tourism campaign.
Under her leadership, the DOT introduced Tourist Rest Areas (TRAs) across key destinations to improve travel convenience, spearheaded efforts and entered into convergences to enhance the overall tourist experience—including improvement of tourism road networks, enhanced Travel App, a 24/7 Tourist Assistance Call Center, Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tours in key cities, strengthened wi-fi internet connectivity in tourism sites, and advocating for the implementation of electronic visa e-visa systems to improve access for foreign visitors.
Secretary Frasco also broadened the country’s tourism portfolio with strategic emphasis on high-growth segments, including gastronomy tourism, halal and Muslim-friendly tourism, diving, golf, farm, and cruise tourism—further establishing the Philippines as a globally competitive and inclusive destination.
The independent, non-commissioned study, conducted face-to-face with 10,000 respondents nationwide and concluded in February 2025, evaluated the performance of cabinet secretaries based on public trust, responsiveness, efficiency, and overall visibility.
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