Despite statements from no less than President Aquino that he will continue the WOW Philippines campaign, DOT Chief Alberto Lim is still adamant that the campaign should be changed. New viral marketing materials from the Department of Tourism has stricken the WOW word from the logo. See the DOT website at http://www.tourism.gov.ph
This defiance is creating brand confusion in the market according to an advertising executive. What he is doing is SUBTERFUGE where certain elements are taken out or added in a picture to trick the eye and train it to the adoption of an addition or elimination of a visual element. Taking out the word WOW is probably his way of saying that he still got his way. Unknowingly, taking out the WOW damages the current campaign in the long run because it now lacks an “invitation”.
He now calls the WOW Philippines campaign as one bereft of the beauty of Philippine Culture. This is his defense for the now defunct and plagiarized “Pilipinas Kay Ganda” campaign which President Aquino himself dumped. What is concerning here is the arrogance and determination of Alberto Lim to even go against the President whom he serves. PNOY campaign officials who are now holding crucial posts in the government have been steadfastly defending the beleaguered DOT Secretary and saying that Alberto Lim still has the confidence of the President and command responsibility ended with the resignation of Enteng Romano.
In the deliberations on the PKG, Lim refused to listen to the inputs from within the DOT such as that of Edwin Trompeta and other Regional Directors. He also refused inputs from the stakeholders – the hotels, travel agencies and tour providers. Alberto Lim should just follow the instructions of President Aquino NOW and have Manny Pacquiao promote the Philippines globally because he already has global appeal. Imagine Manny saying: “WOW Philippines! See my country!” and then have a series with Manny in many tourist sites saying – “WOW Beautiful Churches” – “WOW Beautiful People” – “WOW Best Beaches”. Manny Pacqiuao did this for VITWATER by just saying “YOU KNOW”.
After calling WOW Philippines a diffused brand and going on radio and TV hailing the launch of the now debunk Pilipinas Kay Ganda logo and thematic campaign, Alberto Lim now blames everybody but himself for the fiasco.
On radio and print interviews, he calls Usec Romano as a man from the streets! “Galing siya sa kalye”. I warned him not to rush it, but he (Lim) also signed a check last 18 Oct for the launch event amounting to 3.7 Million (see previous article). I only signed for the small expenses is his defense! Assuming that the amount spent for Pilipinas Kay Ganda is more than that was spent or budgeted for the event, say 5 Million, what he signed is well over 60% of the expenses.
Alberto Lim also blamed the President for his inputs on the logo as if the President himself was responsible for the total design or even the concept itself of PKG. It was the creative director of Campaigns & Grey who copied the elements fonts and layout.
He blames everybody but himself and now has the audacity to go on radio interviews and say that Enteng Romano got what he deserved for not heeding calls to slow down. Lucky for him that Enteng Romano has been towing the publicity line that it was his fault. But as far as government is concerned there needs to be a full accounting surrounding the fiasco in order that this not be repeated again.
His actions after the resignation of having an “I told him so” attitude is but a measure of this man’s character and penchant for self preservation. What does Noynoy Aquino owe him or the Ayala’s for that matter, that he can even go to the extent of blaming the President in his interviews as partly responsible for the botched, ill conceived and plagiarized logo and campaign tagline. This question begs and answer because we cannot have lunatics running around promoting our country.
He now denies any knowledge and anything to do with the campaign to save his own neck. He minimizes his participation in Pilipinas Kay Ganda as just signing small checks. Well, is this the same man during the event when the campaign was lavishly launched who boasted and proudly unveiled the copied logo to tourism stakeholders and his netizens. His lack of long term memory is evident and now requires some serious medication or just maybe long term confinement. Either he is seriously sick with amnesia, or a pathological liar, or just someone who does not know what he is doing. The last is the worst as there is no excuse or cure for stupidity in such a high stakes game as promoting a nation.
With all this coming out, and apparently still being staged managed by a PR firm, he would be better off just resigning. As for Romano, he has some time to enjoy and bask in the adulation of people for his integrity and supreme sacrifice. Obviously, he did not have the full trust of the DOT Chief and was given the ball and shackles and told to swim.
In Alberto Lim’s first few months in the DOT office, he has not managed to achieve any success, instead he has tried to undo all that his predecessors had achieved and established. Maybe because he listened too much to Narzalina Lim protege’ Usec. Theresa Martinez and her cabal of brown nosing directors.
The President would be well advised to stay away from this dangerously ill Secretary of Tourism. Otherwise, he might just be blamed by Lim for giving him the position of DOT Chief!
In TV and print interviews, Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim has continued to deny any knowledge on the expenses incurred for Pilipinas Kay Ganda. Instead he has pointed to resigned Usec. Enteng Romano as fully responsible for the major debacle that has recently rocked the Aquino administration. In an interview with QTV, he feigned all knowledge of the expenses that where incurred and used his recent US trip as an excuse. Lack of knowledge and feigning knowledge cannot be used in this case as there is an approval process involved in government before funds are released for projects previously approved and screened by no less than the head of Agency or Department. All government employees know the concept of Complete Staff Work or CSW, where nothing is signed or moved upwards for decision until one is sure that he/she has done everything within government guidelines. Most DOT officials have been mum on the topic of Pilipinas Kay Ganda and refuse to comment on the approval process involved. One would ask if anyone at the DOT has the gumption to even help their beleaguered Secretary correct himself on his comments.
If one is to prepare a timeline on all the events surrounding the amateur thematic campaign Pilipinas Kay Ganda, it could be said that this is the “baby” of Secretary Lim and Enteng Romano was just the “implementor” in view of his position as DOT promotions Usec.
1. Secretary Lim was already negative about the previous WOW thematic campaign and Awesome tactical campaign when he assumed office as head of the DOT. He said that he would focus in concentrating on product development and that WOW as a word that defines the Philippines is an after thought of the Philippine experience. In effect he already wanted to change the message at the onset.
2. Secretary Lim, upon seeing the studies made by Campaigns and Grey instructed Usec. Enteng Romano to “take inspiration” from the Polska, Maldives and Espana logo.
3. Pilipinas Kay Ganda tagline was submitted by Campaigns & Grey based on the marketing data that the Agency was provided by Usec. Romano. This data shows that filipinos are still the most dominant “tourists” amongst the 3 Million foreign visitors to the Philippines. This marketing data is flawed because the DOT insists on recording filipinos residing abroad as tourists and count them as such. They also record foreigners who study and work here as tourists. So if I were an EXPAT and I go on a business trip to HK twice a year, everytime I come back to the Philippines, I am recorded as a tourist. The Agency used this data as a basis for using Tagalog.
3. The DOT wanted to stem the decline in visitor arrivals brought about by the loss of the HK and China markets. It was also affected by the negative tourist advisories.
4. Philippine Tourism Promotions Board (PTPB), formerly the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC) the prime marketing arm of the DOT was defanged and basically relegated to a secondary sideline role because its COO is a GMA appointee.
5. Secretary Lim presented the Pilipinas Kay Ganda to President Aquino in a cabinet meeting where it was already received negatively.
6. It is true that some elements were the idea of Usec. Romano like using Manny Pacqiuao. It is also true that Usec. Romano fast tracked the launching of the logo despite warnings from the Agency, but these were instructions from Secretary Lim because he already liked the idea and saw it fit to be launched ASAP to placate tourism stakeholders he had been ignoring -The resorts, travel agencies, tour organizers and tourist transport industry who have been clamoring for clear cut tourism marketing direction and presence in the global market.
7. It is also true that the website was the responsibility of Usec Romano, but it was previewed and approved by Secretary Lim.
Secretary Alberto Lim knows about Pilipinas Kay Ganda! In fact he mentioned that one of the main reasons for the new campaign is: Bago kasi ang Presidente so dapat may bago din tayong ipakita. This came out on DZRH and other news outlets.
His PR Agency and Bloggers worked double time to promote the launch event which VP Binay graced and which in his speech (Alberto Lim) cited as the new direction that will bring the tourist back to the Philippines.
Based on the instances and events above, Secretary Alberto Lim cannot deny that money was already spent and ready to be spent. Unless he has some form of Amnesia, he signed the CHECK which only comes after a proposal is approved and vouchers are prepared and signed (a tedious and slow process).
His excuse that he didn’t know after the fact that millions were spent for Pilipinas Kay Ganda is a total lie! Continuing to deny knowledge after having pushed for the campaign and passing the buck totally to Romano is a measure of the character of Secretary Lim.
In the private sector and big corporations, a marketing mistake can usually be written off as a bad management decision. In government, it cannot just be written off because of government rules and regulations. If heads are to roll, it should not just be that of Romano who continuously covers for Secretary Alberto Lim or Lim’s Chief of Staff. It should be Lim himself not waiting to be axed, but graciously and irrevocably resigning for his failure and lies.
Here is the check signed October 18, 2010. Vouchers are always attached to checks that details its purpose.
He denies signing this check and approving the release of funds.
In light of the logo and slogan controversy and the revelation of financial documents detailing the initial expenses of the Pilipinas Kay Ganda launch, despite the denials of any expenditures on the program by no less than Secretary Alberto Lim himself, President Aquino has issued an official statement that he will personally review Philippine Tourism Plans and Programs.
Insiders in the Department where non too happy that the President has finally intervened in the mishandling of the prime programs of the Department responsible for promoting the country. Many officials of the DOT and PTPB were forced to leave at the assumption of Secretary Lim. These include Undersecretaries, Directors and Staff who have served the Tourism department for well over 10 years. The revamp was undertaken using the first few Executive Orders emanating from Malacanang. Former Undersecretary Palabyab, an Attorney, was offered a consultancy position by the Secretary himself in exchange for stepping down and vacating his post. He was not a CESO, but by Civil Service Rules is equal to one and thus could not be fired or just changed. Several Directors were likewise threatened and forced to tow the line in the initial salvo of personnel replacement in the Department. Staff in the Office of the Secretary and the Office for Special Concerns were immediately presented to the Secretary and terminated without due and proper notice. Employees have pointed to Undersecretary Theresa Martinez for initiating the internal problems in the Department of Tourism and in turn having herself and people close to her promoted to choice positions in the Department and its attached agencies.
The initial revamp was defended by Alberto Lim saying that he wanted to institute changes and concentrate less on marketing but on product planning or simply concentrating on creating new destinations. Tourism Attaches’ even those who were performing and delivering were recalled and replaced wantonly without regard for any performance audits being conducted. Marketing units that were working so well as established by former Secretary Ace Durano were abolished. This sowed confusion within the travel industry and its counterparts abroad. The market fluctuated because of a lack of clear cut directions and the replacement of critical personalities mid stream. Then came the Manila Hostage Massacre which further aggravated the situation as the Secretary issued statements that strained relations between China and the Philippines when he said that Hong Kong and mainland tourism inflow can be easily replaced by other markets. Instead of placating the market and assuring the chinese travel industry which had contributed to the development of Northern Tourism destinations, he basically added to the decision of tour and travel providers in China and Hong Kong in canceling their bookings amounting to several millions of US dollars. Tourism inflow from china and HK remains stagnant and has seen Laoag and Vigan suffering from the lack of chinese tourists.
These negative moves directly affected tourism arrivals which were aired by the Hotel and Travel industries. The knee jerk reaction was the re-branding exercise as Campaigns & Grey would now term it in their justification and open letter of explanation to the Filipino public.
Pilipinas Kay Ganda is a knee jerk response to the lack of tourism inflow and the confusion caused by the revamp of the marketing strategies and personnel in the DOT. They had to look for an alternative to the China and Hong Kong Market initially, and the other markets lost due to the negative travel advisories issued by Western countries, Australia, New Zealand and the United States. The solution was to concentrate on the traditional market – Filipinos, because our tourists are largely Filipinos who have migrated (Balikbayans) and those who were already born abroad with foreign citizenships. The campaign that was thus developed is largely meant to target the Filipino market who live in other countries and again engage locals to see other destinations. Since we have no means to market to foreigners or these means have been lost due to the revamp and bungling moves of the DOT Secretary, the Department of Tourism looks once again internally and to the Filipino market for tourism revenues. Misled by data or otherwise, Campaigns & Grey should have had the gumption and better judgement to advice their client on the challenges of brand repositioning. The thematic campaign should have stayed on as WOW Philippines and tactical campaigns developed therein to attract the Philippine market if in fact that was the goal of the Department and Ad Agency as this article would surmise.
Indeed for the creative people responsible for this plagiaristic debacle and are cowering behind the coat tails of client direction and the management of Campaigns & Grey, the road to perdition would be sooner than later if they do not cut and cut clean by telling the truth. WHO, WHY, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and HOW MUCH? Explain entries 2, 3 , 5 ,6 of the proposed budget and the supplemental budget. Explain how Campaigns & Grey were contacted by the DOT and then contracted by the PTPB in detail. Or should Cynthia Carrion, PTPB’s COO be left to explain this debacle because she is an Arroyo holdover?
San Lorenzo Village Monitor 