SB19 named Philippines tourism ambassadors

MANILA, Philippines — P-pop boy group SB19 was named as Philippine tourism ambassadors by the Department of Tourism yesterday.

The announcement came ahead of the group’s debut at the Lollapalooza stage in the US city of Chicago this Friday.

DOT sent the quintet a “Galingbayan” box as a send-off package, a corrugated care package traditionally sent home by overseas Filipinos to their families.

“Representing the Philippines on and off the stage. We’re proud to begin this new chapter as the Philippines’ newest tourism ambassadors. From the Philippines to the world!” the group said in an Instagram post. 

Tourism chief Dita Angara-Mathay earlier said that two P-pop groups will be tapped as tourism ambassadors with BINI announced early this month.

“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 US, 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,” she added.

As tourism ambassadors, SB19 will work with DOT to encourage supporters worldwide to visit the Philippines and experience its culture firsthand.

“This is something we’ve been looking forward to for so long,” SB19 member Josh Cullen said.

“We want to make a genuine difference, so we’re teaming up with partners who get our vision. 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,” he added.

The DOT said that SB19 has cultivated dedicated A’TIN chapters across ASEAN, the United States, Germany and the United Arab Emirates, among other countries.

 “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,” DOT said.

Aside from Lollapalooza, SB19 will be 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 on June 29.

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.