SB19 now among PH tourism ambassadors
SB19 has now been designated by the Department of Tourism as the Philippines' newest tourism ambassadors.
In a statement, the agency announced that they have officially tapped the Kings of P-pop to help promote the country's tourism offerings to both local and international audiences, recognizing them as "a source of national pride, but as one of the country's finest representatives of Filipino culture."
The DOT also sent the quintet a so-called “Galingbayan” box as a send-off package before they fly to Chicago to perform at the Lollapalooza Music Festival. The members acknowledged the gesture on their social media accounts and confirmed their ambassadorship.
Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay highlighted that the group will be able to add more value to the country as their "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," she 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."
"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," she added.
Member Josh Cullen, meanwhile, shared that the appointment is "something they've been looking forward to for so long."
"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 highlighted.
As tourism ambassadors, SB19 will now work with the DOT to encourage A'TINs worldwide to visit the Philippines and experience its culture firsthand.
The partnership comes as the group is set to appear in numerous international events. 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 is also gearing up to perform 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.
SB19 consists of Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken, and Justin. The group debuted in 2018 with their first single Tilaluha and has since become a renowned P-pop sensation.
