The Department of Tourism (DOT) reiterated its call for transparency and accountability after HelloSafe took down a travel safety report that inaccurately listed the Philippines among the least safe countries for travelers.
DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, in a letter addressed to HelloSafe founder Antoine Fruchard, sought redress for what she described as a “false and misleading article.” She said the “dissemination of such information under the guise of a safety index caused unwarranted alarm and inflicted damage on the country’s reputation.”
“While we acknowledge HelloSafe’s apology and the removal of the report, we call on content publishers and data aggregators to exercise greater care and accountability when releasing global rankings,” Frasco said.
HelloSafe issued a formal apology in a media statement dated July 15, 2025, expressing “sincere regrets for the misunderstanding and negative perception” caused by the derogatory article’s publication.
The company confirmed the suspension of the publication as of June 20, 2025, “pending a full audit of the methodology and criteria used in its creation,” and underscored its “deep respect for the Philippines and its people.”
The DOT said it welcomed the retraction but cited the need for greater diligence and responsibility in the publication of international reports that can influence public perception.
Frasco said that despite the retraction, earlier versions of the content, including misleading headlines, remain widely accessible on international platforms, continuing to affect public perception.
“The reputational damage from the original publication cannot be easily undone. Transparency in methodology and sourcing is critical, especially for global studies that carry real consequences for tourism and national image,” Frasco said, adding that false narratives undermine the efforts of both the government and private sector in positioning the Philippines as a safe, competitive, and welcoming destination.
The controversial report, initially released by HelloSafe in June 2025, ranked the Philippines among the least safe travel destinations, drawing widespread criticism for its lack of transparency, unverifiable data and use of identical safety scores across multiple countries.
According to the Philippine Tourism Satellite Accounts (PTSA) 2024, the sector contributed 8.9 percent to the country’s GDP and supported 6.75 million Filipino jobs.
