President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addressed the nation in his second State of the Nation Address (SONA), shedding light on the crucial role of tourism in the country's economic growth and its potential for a significant rebound.

"Our tourism has always been a reliable pillar of our economic growth through the years [by] providing livelihood to more than 5 million of our citizens," Marcos acknowledged.

Despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic, the President expressed optimism for the tourism industry's resurgence.

"Because of the re-opening of our economy and phenomenon of revenge travel, this sector is heading for a great rebound," he proclaimed.

This figure amounts to an impressive 62% of the 4.8 million targets for the entire year, indicating the industry's swift recovery.

"Mga kababayan, ang lahat ng mga ginagawa nating ito ay magbibigay bunga ng libo-libong hanapbuhay para sa ating mga kababayan," the President assured.

‘Love The Philippines’ slogan

The new slogan has received mixed reactions from government officials and the public. Some praised the campaign, while others expressed disappointment, comparing it to the previous slogan, "It's More Fun in the Philippines."

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco defended the decision to change the slogan, stating that it was based on thorough market studies and research conducted at the global, regional, and local levels.

The controversy escalated further with allegations of the use of stock foreign footage in the campaign video.

In response to the controversy, the DOT terminated its contract with DDB Philippines, citing the agency's failure to comply with the obligations stated in the signed contract and its direct contravention of DOT's objectives for enhanced tourism branding.