Ma. Esperanza Christina Codilla Frasco[4] (born Ma. Esperanza Christina Garcia Codilla; December 25, 1981), also known as Christina Garcia Frasco, is a Filipino politician serving as Secretary of Tourism since June 30, 2022. She was the mayor of Liloan, Cebu from 2016 to 2022.[5]

Christina Frasco
Official portrait, 2022
18th Secretary of Tourism
Assumed office
June 30, 2022
PresidentBongbong Marcos
Preceded byBernadette Romulo-Puyat
Mayor of Liloan, Cebu
In office
June 30, 2016 – July 2, 2022
Vice MayorVincent Franco Frasco (2016–2019)
Thelma Jordan (2019–2022)
Aljew Frasco (2022)
Preceded byVincent Franco Frasco
Succeeded byAljew Frasco
Personal details
Born
Ma. Esperanza Christina Garcia Codilla

(1981-12-25) December 25, 1981 (age 42)[1]
Political partyLakas–CMD (2021–present)[2]
One Cebu (2015–present)
Other political
affiliations
PDP–Laban (2017–2021)[3]
Spouse
(m. 2009)
Children4
Parents
Alma materAteneo de Manila University (BS, JD)
ProfessionLawyer

Frasco is a lawyer by profession, having previously practiced international arbitration and commercial litigation in the Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc and Delos Angeles law firm. She is the daughter of incumbent Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and granddaughter of former governor and representative Pablo P. Garcia.[1]

Education

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Franco earned her bachelor's degree in Legal Management from Ateneo de Manila University, followed by the completion of her Juris Doctor at the same institution in 2006.[6] Subsequently, she passed the bar examinations in 2007.[7][8]

Political career

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Mayor of Liloan (2016–2022)

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In 2016, Frasco succeeded her husband Duke Frasco as the Mayor of Liloan. Before taking on the role, she served as the first lady of Liloan. She secured re-election for her second term in 2019.

In 2021, Frasco was awarded the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Regional Award by the Civil Service Commission in its 2021 Search for Outstanding Government Workers. The award is conferred upon an individual for exceptional or extraordinary contributions resulting from performance that had nationwide impact on public interest, security, and patrimony.[citation needed]

In a non-commissioned public satisfaction survey published in August 2021, Frasco was the top performing mayor in Central Visayas, ranking number 1 among the 116 mayors in the entire region, and number 1 among all 44 municipal mayors in Cebu.[citation needed]

Under Frasco's administration, Liloan was awarded the Top Philippine Model Municipality in 2019 by The Manila Times. In the same year, Liloan was granted other national awards, namely, the Top Philippine Education Hub for its scholarship program, Top Philippine Retirement Haven, and Top Philippine Wealth Center for business friendliness and proactive programs on infrastructure and economic development.[9] In 2019 and 2020, the Department of Trade and Industry named Liloan as the Most Resilient Municipality in the Philippines.[citation needed]

In 2019, Frasco was elected as president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) – Cebu Chapter, the first woman to hold the position, and as National Vice President of LMP.[10][11] In July 2021, Frasco was appointed as the spokesperson of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.[12]

Secretary of Tourism (2022–present)

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Frasco ran for reelection in the 2022 Cebu local elections and was successful in winning her third term.[13] However, she was later selected as the next Secretary of Tourism by president-elect Bongbong Marcos.[14] She resigned as mayor and was succeeded by her running mate and cousin-in-law, Aljew Frasco, who was initially elected as vice mayor that year.[15]

During Frasco's tenure as tourism secretary, the controversial Love the Philippines tourism slogan was adopted beginning in 2023, replacing the decade-long It's More Fun in the Philippines! slogan.

Personal life

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Frasco married Duke Frasco, an incumbent member of the House of Representatives representing Cebu's 5th congressional district, in August 2009.[16] They have four children together.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Piniliay sa 2016: Liloan" (in Cebuano). SuperBalita Cebu. 4 May 2016. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2020. Natawo sa adlaw sa Pasko niadtong 1981...
  2. ^ Letigio, Delta Dyrecka (November 27, 2021). "Garcia-Frasco joins LAKAS-CMD". CDN Digital. Inquirer Group. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  3. ^ Bunachita, Jose Santino S.; Erram, Morexette Marie (November 17, 2017). "Cebu is now PDP-LABAN country". Cebu Daily News. Inquirer Group. Archived from the original on November 18, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  4. ^ "Certified List of Candidates - Cebu" (PDF). comelec.gov.ph. Commission on Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 19, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  5. ^ "Liloan - LGA". Local Government Academy. Archived from the original on December 28, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  6. ^ "A DOT-ing Mom & Lawyer: Tourism Secretary Christina G. Frasco". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on August 15, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  7. ^ "CODILLA, MA. ESPERANZA CHRISTINA G.; Cebu City; May 3, 2007; Roll No. 54428. | Lawyers List". Supreme Court of the Philippines. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  8. ^ Oaminal, Clarence Paul. "Judge Esperanza Fiel Garcia, the Joan of Arc of the cooperative movement". Philstar.com. Archived from the original on 2023-11-13. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  9. ^ "Liloan wins top awards". Municipality of Liloan. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  10. ^ Lorraine Ecarma (July 13, 2019). "Frasco is new LMP-Cebu prexy". The Freeman. Archived from the original on January 5, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  11. ^ Rosalie Abatayo (November 10, 2019). "Christina Frasco wins LMP national VP for Visayas". CDN Digital. Archived from the original on December 29, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  12. ^ "Mayor Frasco is Inday Sara's spox". INQUIRER.net. July 18, 2021. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  13. ^ "Frascos dominate in Cebu's fifth district; Gwendolyn Garcia remains governor of Cebu province". Manila Bulletin. May 11, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  14. ^ Mercado, Neil Arwin (May 30, 2022). "Sara Duterte spox Christina Frasco to serve as tourism secretary". INQUIRER.net. Archived from the original on May 30, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  15. ^ Erram, Morexette Marie (July 3, 2022). "Liloan officials sworn into new roles". CDN Digital. Archived from the original on July 8, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  16. ^ Ynclino, Flor (August 27, 2009). "The Grand Wedding of Duke and Christina". Philstar.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  17. ^ "Cong. Duke and Mayor Christina welcome new baby". SunStar. July 28, 2021. Archived from the original on July 8, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
Political offices
Preceded by
Vincent Franco Frasco
Mayor of Liloan, Cebu
2016–2022
Succeeded by
Aljew Frasco
Preceded by Secretary of Tourism
2022–present
Incumbent
Order of precedence
Preceded byas Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Order of Precedence of the Philippines
as Secretary of Tourism
Succeeded byas Secretary of Transportation