The Philippine government, through the Department of Tourism (DOT), has condemned British website HelloSafe for ranking the Philippines as the least safe country for travelers, calling the index “false” and damaging to the country’s reputation.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco criticized the ranking’s lack of transparency and accused HelloSafe of prioritizing travel insurance sales over accurate safety assessments.
Although the website later replaced the Philippines with Sudan on its list, the correction was deemed incomplete, with inconsistent updates on its interactive map.
Frasco emphasized that the ranking harmed tourism bookings and the livelihoods of millions of Filipinos who depend on the industry.
The DOT is demanding that HelloSafe fully correct the erroneous data and urged media outlets to issue corrections while affirming the government’s ongoing efforts to improve safety nationwide.
Source: PhilNews24 | June 20, 2025
