Tourism stakeholders gathered for an intimate tribute to celebrate the leadership of outgoing Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco as she transitions to her new position as presidential adviser for sustainable and resilient communities.
The send-off was attended by partners from the airline, hotel, travel, gastronomy, sports and medical sectors, alongside regional directors of the Department of Tourism. Attendees underscored their gratitude for Frasco’s collaborative and action-oriented leadership during her tenure.
Since her appointment in 2022, the former three-term mayor of Liloan, Cebu, steered the industry through post-pandemic recovery by anchoring her approach on public-private partnerships and local government coordination. Industry leaders credited her with reshaping the sector into one that is more inclusive and community-centered.
International School of Sustainable Tourism in the Philippines chairman and president Mina Gabor, herself a former tourism secretary, highlighted Frasco’s ability to translate ideas into results.
“When you say something to her, she implements it. She looks at it, reads it and implements. Passion without implementation is nothing,” Gabor said, noting Frasco’s openness to stakeholder input.
“We want you to succeed, because you have the heart and the intelligence and knowledge to put this tourism department where it should be,” she said.
