By ADRIAN STEWART CO
MANILA — Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco has defended her London trip amid mounting criticism from Cebu residents, emphasizing that she fulfilled her official duties before immediately flying home to attend to her constituents affected by Typhoon “Tino”.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Frasco explained that her visit to the United Kingdom was part of her responsibilities as head of the Philippine delegation to the World Travel Market in London, where she attended the Ministerial Summit and led the opening of the Philippine booth on November 4.
“Given the severe situation in Cebu, I took a flight the very next day, November 5, to return to the Philippines. When we arrived today, November 6, we proceeded directly to Liloan,” she said.
Frasco and her husband, Liloan mayor Duke Frasco, became the subject of public scrutiny after reports surfaced that they were overseas when the typhoon battered Cebu earlier in the week, leaving several towns flooded and thousands displaced.
The tourism chief maintained that relief efforts in Liloan and neighboring areas were ongoing even during her brief official travel.
“Assistance has already been extended to affected families in Liloan and surrounding areas,” she said, adding that local officials have been coordinating continuous relief operations.
Cebu continues to grapple with the aftermath of Typhoon Tino, which caused widespread flooding, property damage, and forced evacuations across several municipalities./PN
