Love to ‘Love the Philippines’

Piqued by “pixel,” a furious Albay Rep. Joey Salceda is making hay on the rendition of Albay’s world famous Mt. Mayon in the freshly launched “Love the Philippines” tourism logo. Salceda’s rants are like the furies coming out from the continuing pyroclastic emissions from one of the most active volcanoes in this part of the world.

Despite eruptions in the past, Mt. Mayon has been blessed by its beauty and iconic image among the world’s few perfect-coned volcanoes. In fact, Albay’s Mt. Mayon has existing “sisterhood” partnership with Mt. Fuji of Japan for having the same iconic stature. It was Salceda who on October 21, 2015 while he was Governor of Albay entered into this Mt. Mayon-Mt. Fuji Partnership Agreement.

No less than President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) led the launching ceremonies last Tuesday during the 50th founding anniversary of the Department of Tourism (DOT).

Salceda’s raised hackles came about a day after seeing the newest country brand logo in very colorful and abstract arts depiction of key destination places, cultural festivities, the local popular flora and fauna, and food attractions all over the country. Now comes allegations that at least four scenes in the new country brand “are not fresh videos but stock footages.” And that supposedly, “WORSE- NOT SHOT IN THE PHILIPPINES.”

In response posted in her Facebook account Sunday, DOT Secretary Christina Frasco announced she will look into the allegations going viral in social media. A lawyer by profession, Sec. Frasco claimed “no public funds” were paid to the questioned audio-visual presentations (AVP) shown during the country brand launch.

The new country brand cost the DOT around P49 million in a contract won by DDB Philippines Inc. in a competitive public bidding. This agency designed and produced the AVP and the soon coming out three 60-second TV commercials on “Love the Philippines.”

In an open letter he posted in his personal Facebook account, Salceda asked: “Dear Sec. Frasco – why no Mayon in DOT Love the Philippines. And the whaleshark most likely in Oslob, Cebu, so no Bicol? Sino po May pakana nito – No love for Albay, no love for Bicol. Thank you na lang. Albay tourists will thrive without you. LOVE ALBAY! (sic).” The reference to whaleshark, or “butanding” that Oslob lured away from its original habitat in Sorsogon (also in Bicol region) was obviously a dig at the DOT chief who was previously the Mayor of Liloan City in Cebu.

Salceda and Frasco actually are common arch supporters of Vice President Sara Duterte. Frasco once served as the official spokesperson of the former Davao City Mayor during the run for VP elections last year. Salceda, on the other hand, supported fellow Bicolano presidential candidate ex-VP Leni Robredo and pushed for the Robredo-Sara (Ro-Sa) tandem.

Quick to the rescue of his wife, Cebu Congressman Duke Frasco responded in his own Facebook account: “Dear Cong Salceda, if you look closely, the over 50 notable mountains and volcanos of the Philippines are represented in DOT LOVE logo. As well as whalesharks & surfs of the PH. Let’s CELEBRATE, not hate! LOVE the Philippines! (sic).”

Rep. Frasco rebutted: “The initial video promoting the PH gives the world a glimpse of the many reasons to Love the Philippines. Just like in any campaign, this ad campaign is not just for one day nor does it consist of just one singular video. Opening salvo pa ni, Bai. Dili pa ni ang miting de avance.(added with a smiling emoji) More to come! Keep calm and LOVE the Philippines.”

In Facebook to Facebook exchanges, Salceda argued: “Mayon deserves better than a pixel in the logo where you need strained eyes to see it. Mayon has been a National Treasure. No Sec. Frasco, ask all your predecessors in DOT-Mayon deserved better treatment. You failed Albay.”

Joining in the fray, Rep. Edcel Lagman, fellow Congressman from the first district of Albay, made public last Friday his support to Sec. Frasco. Lagman referred to the purported disenchantment of Salceda was “essentially political soundbite.” In an open letter to the DOT chief, Lagman wrote: “The best argument against Rep. Salceda’s parochial view on the supposed low priority accorded to the Mayon Volcano is your resolve to address the lack of potable water supply to the Mayon Tourism Complex, including the newly renovated Mayon Skyline Hotel (formerly Mayon Rest House), which was funded upon my initiative.”

Salceda, who represents the second district of Albay countered: “No apologies for standing up for Albay, the people I represent.” For more accurate reference, Salceda added, “the location of said Mayon Tourism Complex is inside the six-kilometer permanent danger zone.”

It was no sheer coincidence the Filipino-British nurse May Richell Cestina-Parsons, who injected the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine, flew home last week and received a presidential citation from PBBM at Malacañang last Thursday. A year after receiving the prestigious George Cross award for gallantry during the pandemic, Parsons was featured in Philippine advertising blurb painted on London double-decker buses: “We give the world our best. The Philippines.”

This was launched last May while PBBM attended in London the coronation of King Charles III. It was seen, however, in negative light as promoting Filipino professionals as labor exports. Initially, it was thought about as the new country branding of the DOT. But Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications Paul Soriano later claimed it was his brainchild project.

While our officials are fighting here over parochial issues of perceived slight or snub, our competitors in the region have been getting more tourists to go instead to their respective countries. As of end of June, the DOT estimated 2.67 million overseas tourists arrived in the country, 2.44 million of which were foreigners and the rest were returning overseas Filipinos.

Can love to “Love the Philippines” be the magic potion to grow our tourism numbers?

Hopefully, the post-pandemic “revenge travel” can kick up the numbers.