Cebuanos hail new Tourism chief

CEBUANOS ARE all out in their support to the new Tourism Secretary Maria Christina Frasco, who was former mayor of Liloan town and spokesperson of then Davao City mayor and now Vice President Sara Duterte.

 Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and daughter, Maria Christina Frasco, the new Tourism secretary. (Lito Tecson)

Frasco, the daughter of Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, was named Tourism secretary by President Bongbong Marcos. Garcia has thanked Marcos for choosing a Cebuano to lead the Department of Tourism (DOT). 

“Go boldly, Kay,” was Garcia’s message to her daughter during a reception night hosted by the DOT-Region 7 and the Provincial Government in Frasco’s honor on June 21. 

“Go boldly with the entire support of the entire Cebu tourism industry. As we celebrate Cebu tourism tonight, a deafening signal to the entire country that as you start with your new position with the entire country to look after, you have the full 101 support of Cebu, the entire island of Cebu, and all of our tourism stakeholders, count me in as your mom and governor of Cebu,” Garcia told her daughter. 

Tourism stakeholders in Cebu and the Visayas gathered to show their all-out support and to welcome Frasco as the new Tourism secretary. 

The various stakeholders were well-represented at the reception night - from travel and tour operators; hotel, resort and other hospitality industry owners; airport and airline management; members of the diplomatic community; and government officials from across Cebu. 

“Isip usa ka Sugboanon, makalaum kamo nga dad-on nako isip secretary sa turismo ang kasingkasing ug kadasig sa usa ka Sugboanon nga moatubang sa bisan unsang hagit ug kalisod ug moingon, ‘Kumbati, mobarog ako, mopadayon ako kay ako usa ka Sugboanon,” Frasco said. 

Strong support 

“You have a very big task to lead us but you see, nothing is impossible. And we assure you, the private sector will be behind you 101 percent, especially JFI,” said Justin Uy, the owner of JPark Island Resort and Waterpark in Lapu-Lapu City. 

“We pledge that we all support Secretary Frasco’s efforts in promoting tourism. Let us work together under the leadership of Secretary Frasco,” said Hideki Yamaji, the Consul General of Japan. 

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan said: “The appointment of Mayor Frasco (as Tourism secretary) is the spark we most need and have been waiting for to ignite anew our country’s tourism industry. Ikaw ang among garbo, sa mga Sugbuanon. Pagka-bulahan namo.” 

“When President Bongbong Marcos announced our new DOT Secretary, one of our own, immediately, my staff and I began receiving messages and calls from well-meaning co-workers, stakeholders, and friends from all over the country and from our DOT foreign offices worldwide, all expressing gratitude to the President and relaying their sincerest intentions to meet our incoming secretary,” said DOT Regional Director Shahlimar Tamano. 

Garcia assured her daughter that the provincial government would be throwing its full support behind her programs and initiatives. “My heart swells with immeasurable pride, that distinctive Cebuano pride that is unique to us mga kaliwat ni Lapulapu. Ang garbo sa Sugbo, garbo sa Sugboanon, karon nahilukop ug maoy miputos sa akong kasingkasing: kasingkasing isip gobernador, kasingkasing isip inahan,” she said 

The DOT’S incoming administration is considering to introduce to the country a successful tourism practice in Cebu province. “Cebu has shown the benchmark for the effectivity of tourism governance, including Suroy-Suroy Sugbo. We will study it closely in the hopes of bringing attention to lesser-known tourist destinations in the Philippines,” Frasco told reporters. 

Suroy-Suroy Sugbo is a tourism initiative introduced by Garcia wherein local and foreign tourists are literally brought to different tourist attractions in the province for them to discover the beauty and wonders Cebu had to offer. 

“As secretary of tourism, I would be very happy to collaborate with our local officials, governors, congressmen, and mayors to be able to see how we in the Department of Tourism can lend our assistance to further develop these tourist destinations in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao,” Frasco said. (Ioannes P. Arong)