The tourism department says it has reached out to the P-pop group’s camp, but no formal appointment has been announced
MANILA — Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said the Department of Tourism has reached out to BINI’s camp as it considers the P-pop group for a possible tourism ambassador role, following the group’s high-profile appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California.
The proposal remains pending. No formal appointment has been announced, and the DOT has indicated that it is still awaiting a response from the group’s representatives.
Angara-Mathay made the remarks while in Tokyo, where she joined President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to Japan. She cited BINI’s Coachella appearance as an example of Filipino talent gaining visibility on an international stage.
The DOT earlier congratulated BINI and Sophia Laforteza of KATSEYE after their Coachella performances, saying Filipino talent had been brought to one of the world’s major music festivals. The department also highlighted BINI’s milestone as a Filipino act performing at Coachella.
BINI is an eight-member P-pop girl group composed of Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna and Sheena. The group is identified as the country’s “Nation’s Girl Group,” a title widely used by fans and entertainment audiences.
The possible partnership would come as the DOT looks to refresh domestic tourism messaging while continuing the “Love the Philippines” campaign. Angara-Mathay has said the slogan will remain, with adjustments intended to make the campaign more relatable.
The proposed partnership comes as the DOT looks for ways to encourage Filipinos at home and abroad to rediscover destinations across the country. Tapping BINI would place one of P-pop’s most visible acts within a tourism campaign built around youth culture, domestic travel and the global appeal of Filipino talent. The possible role would add a public-facing cultural assignment to a career already drawing attention beyond the Philippines.
