Travel safety group urged to be more responsible after rating PHL poorly

THE Department of Tourism (DoT) called for more transparency and accountability in the release of destination safety ratings, after HelloSafe apologized and suspended its Safety Index, which had posted a negative rating for the Philippines.

“The DoT welcomed the retraction but emphasized the need for greater responsibility in the release of global reports,” it said in a statement on Thursday.

HelloSafe apologized on July 15, expressing “sincere regrets for the misunderstanding and negative perception that may have resulted from this publication,” the DoT said.

HelloSafe, which listed the Philippines as among the least safe countries for travelers, bases its ratings on the cost to insure travelers for any given destination.

The organization suspended its index “pending a full audit of the methodology and criteria used in its creation.”

The DoT cited “the need for greater responsibility in the release of global reports.”

Tourism Secretary Ma. Esperanza Christina G. Frasco sought “redress on the false and misleading article” as it caused “unwarranted alarm and inflicted damage” to the country’s reputation.

“As the DoT moves forward with implementing the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2023–2028 … we expect the Philippines to be represented fairly, truthfully, and with the dignity that our people, destinations, and tourism workers rightfully deserve,” she said.

“The DoT takes note of and appreciates the apology and rectification by HelloSafe. However, it reminds content publishers and data aggregators to exercise greater circumspection and responsibility when releasing studies that may influence public perception,” she added.

She said that the impact of the rating “continues to be felt” as earlier versions of the safety index remain accessible across international media platforms. — Justine Irish D. Tabile