MAKATI CITY --  During the Department of Tourism (DOT) lunch reception for tourism frontliners on Thursday, May 11, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco addressed the country branding "We Give the World our Best" as introduced by the Office of the Presidential Advisor for Creative Communications (OPACC).

The ad, which highlighted the work of Filipino nurses, was launched in the United Kingdom.

Addressing the concern of some who may have confused the ad published by the OPACC with the new tourism brand, Secretary Frasco clarified that "the DOT will subsequently come out with a tourism brand for the Philippines aligned with the country brand, and enhancing the present tagline.”

"There is a sea of opinions about this. But I would like to remind our fellow Filipinos that the statement 'We give the world our best' is a statement of fact. Do you not agree? Is it not true that our Filipino workers all over the world have shown nothing less than a devotion to duty, commitment to responsibility, a willingness to go the extra mile, to serve with love and compassion? We are Filipinos. We give the world our best," Secretary Frasco said of the new country brand.

Having been a former local chief executive and former President of the League of Municipalities on the Philippines (LMP), the DOT chief detailed how she would go from town to town to attend festivals. In these festivals, the Secretary said, she would always see how the communities and the local government units would all give their best preparations for their guests "because that is the nature of being a Filipino".

"And that is why we fully support the campaign of our President to put forth to the world that the Philippines has no intention of putting out nothing less than the best. And that idea is translated further into what we have to offer in the Philippines. We have the best beaches, the best sites, the best nature destinations. And we have the best tour guides," Secretary Frasco enthused.

"That translates to everything that permeates our sense of hospitality and service as a tourism industry. We give the world our best is a statement of fact. It is a rallying call. And it is aspirational for those who may still face a host of challenges and through government intervention will finally have the opportunity to be developed and fully maximised." (DOT)