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The Philippine Star
January 10, 2026 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Photographer Max Abasalo has retracted his earlier social media claims alleging that the Department of Tourism (DOT) favored an image of Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco over destination photographs for the cover of Philippine Topics, an accusation that drew online criticism.
Abasalo’s initial post, which circulated widely after being picked up by several news organizations, implied that tourism visuals taken from various parts of the country were sidelined in favor of a cover featuring the DOT chief. The post was later deleted.
In a subsequent Facebook post, Abasalo clarified that he had no direct involvement with the publication and that his remarks were based on personal observation rather than verified information.
“I am not affiliated with Philippine Topics and I did not provide any materials or photos to them,” Abasalo said. “My recent post reflected a personal observation made in my capacity as an independent contractor who has previously worked on creative materials on Philippine destinations.”
The statement effectively undermined the basis of his earlier claim, which had fueled accusations of self-promotion against Frasco and insinuations that public funds were misused.
Abasalo was never contracted by the DOT in relation to the magazine. His previous participation in tourism-related projects was indirect and coursed through his agency, Red Apple, which had been engaged by David and Golyat (D&G) for a separate Creative Assets Project in 2024. That engagement, according to data gathered, did not include any editorial authority or role in determining magazine content or its cover.
Abasalo had also claimed that his team produced images from nearly 320 tourist sites nationwide, amounting to some 236,000 photographs and 6,500 video materials. However, records reviewed indicate that the materials actually submitted by his agency were significantly fewer than the figures he cited.
Philippine Topics is a privately run publication and is not an official government magazine. Editorial decisions, including the choice of its cover, were made independently and without direction or coordination from any government office.
The controversy stemmed from the magazine’s maiden issue, whose cover prominently featured the tourism chief. While magazine covers typically reflect editorial intent and access, the DOT clarified that it had no participation in the publication’s production process.
“The Department did not contract, pay, commission or direct the magazine to produce its cover or feature story. The content, including the selection of images and text, was produced entirely at the magazine’s editorial discretion. The DOT did not provide any photographs, guidance, or funding for the feature,” explained the DOT.
An examination of the magazine also raised questions about the sourcing of its images. The publication does not appear to maintain a verified Facebook page or an established digital platform.
Several photographs in the issue, including the cover image of Frasco, appear to have been taken from the DOT’s official corporate Facebook page and from the secretary’s own profile, with some images appearing to have been cropped or edited in ways that obscured their original markings.
