Manila, July 31 -- The Department of Tourism (DOT) is appealing for a higher budget in 2026, proposing PHP3.1 billion, with PHP500 million earmarked for branding and promotion of the Philippines as a global tourist destination, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said on Thursday.

In a media briefing in Makati City, Frasco pointed out that the DOT is "underfunded" compared to the multimillion-dollar marketing efforts being mounted by its neighboring destinations.

"The fact of the matter remains that Congress slashed the budget of the Department of Tourism by no less than 83 percent in terms of its promotions funding from PHP1.2 billion to only PHP200 million in 2024, and slashed it by half yet again to only PHP100 million in 2025," she s...