NEWS

By Jauhn Etienne Villaruel | ABS-CBN News | January 15, 2025 1:22PM

Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco speaks before the media during the DOT’s Year-End Report in Makati City on December 17 , 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday ordered the Department of Budget to transfer some P400 million from his office’s contingency fund to the Department of Tourism (DOT) in order to bankroll its branding campaigns for 2025.

This, in effect, would restore the amount removed by lawmakers when they submitted the 2025 spending plan for Marcos to approve. Executive officials had previously noted that they cannot amend budget items once it was submitted by lawmakers.

“Restore the P400 million branding budget of DOT to sustain the momentum,” Marcos ordered the DBM during a meeting with Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco. The funding will be sourced from the President’s contingency fund, the Palace said.

Last week, Frasco lamented that the DOT’s budget for their branding and promotion programs was significantly slashed under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

“Sa NEP ang budget nito ay around P500 million but when the GAA was released it has been reduced to P100 million,” she said.

During her meeting with Marcos, Frasco in her presentation said insufficient funding for the DOT would lead to “reduced engagement with target audiences, fewer trade and consumer activation opportunities, and the absence of global media placements, among other setbacks.”

According to Marcos, the government cannot afford to lose the momentum in its tourism initiatives, citing the “boosting” of the country’s international image fueled by the recent accomplishments of Olymic champion Carlos Yulo and The Voice US champ Sofronio Vasquez.

“We have to maintain the momentum. There is already momentum. It doesn’t hurt that we have people like Sofronio winning The Voice and that we had Caloy Yulo winning the Olympics,” Marcos said.

In 2023, the DOT’s branding campaign received criticisms over its supposed lack of originality and alleged plagiarism. The DOT eventually terminated its contract with the ad agency, citing their “abject failure to comply with their obligations.”

Source: ABS-CBN News

.