The Department of Tourism (DOT) has officially named global P-Pop powerhouse SB19 as the Philippines’ newest Tourism Ambassadors, recognizing the group not only as a source of national pride, but as one of the country’s finest representatives of Filipino culture.
The announcement follows a subtle digital activation over the weekend that gave A’TIN, SB19’s global fanbase, a glimpse of what was to come.
Ahead of the group’s US and Japan tour leg, the DOT sent the quintet a “Galingbayan” box as a send-off package, posted across its official social platforms, Tourism Philippines.
A corrugated care package traditionally sent home by overseas Filipinos to their families, the balikbayan box is one of the most powerful cultural symbols in the Philippines as it represents love expressed through sacrifice and connection across distances.
The members acknowledged the gesture on their social media accounts today, and confirmed their ambassadorship.
Prior to this, the DOT set the internet abuzz on July 23 after posting five goat emojis across its social media platforms, fueling widespread speculation about the partnership.
The formal naming follows an earlier interview with Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay, where she teased that two P-Pop groups would be named the Philippines’ next tourism ambassadors.
In a statement, Secretary Angara-Mathay underscored the value SB19 brings as representatives of the nation.
“SB19’s talent is undeniable – their music is powerful, and so is their influence.
“SB19’s talent is undeniable – their music is powerful, and so is their influence. They have the reach to connect with fans across the United States, Europe, ASEAN, and beyond,” Angara-Mathay said. “And in the U.S., we’re seeing that influence become something real: Filipino-Americans who grew up watching SB19 online are now booking flights home, some for the first time in years, just to see them perform on their home turf.”
“We’re seeing the same thing across ASEAN, where SB19’s fandom is just as strong, and where a short flight makes that pull even easier to act on. Whether it’s a Filipino-American flying halfway across the world or a fan in Taiwan or Bangkok just a few hours away, SB19 is giving people real reasons to visit the Philippines. That’s the kind of reach we want to build on,” the tourism chief added.
As Tourism Ambassadors, SB19 will work with the DOT to encourage A’TIN worldwide to visit the Philippines and experience its culture firsthand.
“By taking our music to established international markets, we can connect with the global Filipino diaspora, share ourculture, and give them that feeling of home.
“Matagal na po itong moment na ito na inaantay namin,” Josh Cullen of SB19 said. “We want to make a genuine difference, so we’re teaming up with partners who get ourvision. By taking our music to established international markets, we can connect with the global Filipino diaspora, share our culture, and give them that feeling of home.”
That pull reaches well beyond Philippine shores. SB19 has cultivated dedicated A’TIN chapters across ASEAN, the United States, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates, among other countries, with international fans regularly flying into the Philippines for the group’s concerts. In earlier tours, a number of A’TIN chapters had organized tribute projects such as fan-funded billboards abroad to celebrate the members. This growing overseas following mirrors the very markets the DOT is looking to tap for inbound tourism.
Known for personally conceptualizing their own music videos and content, the five members of SB19 have long woven Filipino heritage into their artistry, most notably in “GENTO,” their global breakout hit. This partnership announcement gives the hitmaking group an even bigger platform to carry that same spirit forward.
This partnership arrives as SB19 carries the Philippine flag across a series of historic global milestones.
On July 29, they will become the first Filipino group to throw the ceremonial first pitch at a Major League Baseball game, ahead of the Chicago White Sox vs. New York Yankees matchup.
A day later, on July 30, they will be the first Filipino act to perform at Lollapalooza in Grant Park, Chicago, one of the largest music festivals in the world.
The group’s international reach extends further into August, with performances at Summer Sonic 2026 in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan, alongside fellow Filipino acts ena mori and BINI, the latter of which were recently named Tourism Ambassadors as well.
The DOT and SB19 are set to finalize details for a series of succeeding events showcasing the finest of Philippine tourism in the coming months, with more announcements to follow.
