Duterte’s reign: On changes and appointments
In this country, elections and appointments are very much alike. Both are paired with protests and controversies. For instance, defeated candidates (no matter how badly battered) will always have the propensity of filing election protests either because of greed or to save faces. Appointees (who are, mostly, supporters of the winning president) on the other hand, get the ire of self-proclaimed experts who will always boast of being capable of doing better.
Indeed, with the change in leadership, changing of the guards follow. That’s too normal. What’s not normal is when the guards or the appointees are questionable. When people raise a howl on the appointees’ credentials. When people condemn the appointment as nothing but a mere payment of debt, a mere return of favor.
This is so relevant today as the presumptive president appointed Cong. Mark Villar to head the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Without much disclosure of his educational background, we don’t know if he really fits in. One thing certain though, the family was embroiled in a controversy in the past where the department, which he will soon head was also involved. The question is, will there be continuity of the projects and programs of DPWH (which has done so much under Sec. Singson’s watch) or will there be more public works and highways traversing on Villar family’s properties?
Controversies regarding appoints are not new though. To recall, when Boy “The Buzz” Abunda’s name was floated to head the Department of Tourism (DOT), skeptics’ howls reverberated from Aparri to Jolo. As a fellow Cebuano was the Secretary, tourism players in Cebu were up in arms as they expected a better replacement, or at least, he’ll be retained. Derisively, such act is a disgraceful attempt to condemn Boy Abunda as downright inferior to Sec. Ace Durano.
Be that as it may, let us leave the unrealized Boy Abunda appointment behind us. As we all know, the first appointee of the DOT, Sec. Alberto Lim, was also replaced by PNoy and in his stead was Sec. Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. Obviously, Sec. Lim was sacked because he wasn’t up to the task.
To further recall, in an effort of PNoy and his brain trusts to probably try to detach from the Arroyo brand, they figured out a new tourism slogan. Departing from the relatively successful WOW Philippines, the DoT through then Sec. Alberto Lim, launched in November, 2010 the slogan, Pilipinas Kay Ganda (Philippines What a Beauty). Possibly coined by a person so engrossed with ABS-CBN’s Umagang Kay Ganda, the discontinued slogan was just so bland. It simply lacked the needed sting and substance of a catchphrase. Instead, as the website was instinctively labeled www.beautifulpilipinas.com, tourism industry players felt that potential tourists may misinterpret it as promoting our women. Or, simply put, the slogan is trying to put premium on sex tourism.
Then, as Sec. Jimenez took the reins at the DOT, a new slogan, “It’s more fun in the Philippines”, was unveiled. As is customary, debates on its appropriateness raged on. The DoT leadership stressed that it is people-focused, that it emphasizes our innate ability to connect. Critics, however, argued that it is just so bland for a slogan-not catchy at all. With the controversy it has generated, one wonders to some extent, what is a slogan and what’s in it?
For all intents and purposes, however, a slogan is an advertising phrase. As such, investments poured into such advertising effort or promotion will only translate into profits if the products or services offered approximate the representation it makes. Otherwise, sustainability is not even an issue worth delving in. It is practically dead from the very beginning.
So that, as the new leadership takes over, they shouldn’t be carried largely by their urge to change the slogan. As a matter of reference, they should take a look with objectivity at the better performing neighboring Southeast Asian countries and see whether the catchiness of their slogans alone catapulted them to where they are right now. Undoubtedly, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia are this region’s leaders. Singapore brags about its “Uniquely Singapore” slogan. Thailand surprises everyone with its “Amazing Thailand” catchphrase. While Malaysia flaunts immeasurably its “Malaysia. Truly Asia” tagline. Despite changes in leadership, they never changed their slogans and are continuously raking in tourists.
Apparently, the issue is not more on the slogan or on promotions and marketing. As far as Cebu and the rest of the country are concerned, the big question is, what kind of tourism products are we promoting. Or, more appropriately, is there a good product worth promoting.
Finally, let not the blandness of the present slogan be made a flimsy excuse or used as shield for our inadequacies in product development and infrastructure. Otherwise, we will simply salivate on the prospect of having millions of tourists while our neighboring Southeast Asian countries are feasting on them.
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