A global safety index that falsely ranked the Philippines the “least safe” for travelers raised concern from the Department of Tourism (DOT) after it said the report damaged the country’s reputation and affected communities dependent on tourism.

In a statement on Thursday, Jun. 19, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco said the report released by HelloSafe used questionable data, lacked transparency, and appeared to promote travel insurance through flawed and recycled safety scores.

The department noted that the Philippines was later removed from the list without explanation, despite the damage already done to public perception and travel bookings.

Frasco said that while the country faces safety challenges like other nations, government agencies ensure the security of visitors through trained personnel, close coordination with law enforcement, and the commitment of tourism stakeholders.

The DOT warned that commercialized safety indexes can mislead travelers, affect tourism decisions, and undermine the economic stability of destinations reliant on tourism.

Frasco said the consequences were immediate, citing disrupted travel plans, business losses, and a setback to the livelihoods of millions of Filipinos in the tourism sector.

The agency called on HelloSafe to take down all misleading content and urged media outlets that cited the report to issue corrections.

Frasco appealed to Filipinos to defend the country’s integrity, saying the Philippines should not be defined by flawed statistics but by the strength and pride of its people.

“The Philippines is not defined by a flawed and false statistic,” she said.

“It is defined by our people—resilient, disciplined, and deeply proud of what we offer the world.”