The Department of Tourism (DOT) should have used its funding for market study and research for their rebranding campaign prior to the launch of its controversial “Love the Philippines” promotional video.
Sen. Nancy Binay pointed this out at she questioned the DOT’s request for P30-million for its Strategy, Research and Overall Direction for the Integrated Marketing Communication Campaign, as part of its P500-million budget proposal for its Branding Campaign Program for 2024.
Binay noted that the DOT still has an unutilized item of the same amount for 2023, that is why she is perplexed why the agency still needs a continued P30-million allocation when a market study should have been done before the launch of the campaign.
“Why are you spending P30-million for a study that supposed to be was already done before you launched— I would assume this is the 'Love the Philippines', ‘right? So anong magiging, kumbaga paa, ano ang magiging (What else would be the) backbone for the new branding if there was no strategy research)?” Binay said during the Senate’s hearing on the DOT’s budget.
“Kasi parang ngayon pa lang kayo mag-aaward ng (Because, it seems you have yet to award a) P30 million for strategy research? So, what is the basis for doing a rebranding when you’re still going to do a strategy research worth P30 million?” the Senate Committee on Tourism asked DOT officials.
Other Asian neighbors, Binay pointed out are enjoying the perks of high tourist arrivals yet they have not changed their promotional campaign.
The DOT earlier earned flak for releasing a new tourism slogan “Love the Philippines” but using stock footage in their promotional video. Some clips in the video also allegedly featured other countries tourism sites.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco had disclosed that the DOT spent P49-million for the entire study of the tourism campaign rebranding. The DOT also eventually terminated its contract with ad agency DDB Philippines.
During the hearing, the DOT said the firm it initially contracted for the “Love the Philippines” campaign had already conducted a comprehensive study on customer behavior, trends in travel and tourism post-pandemic, as well as attitudes to travel, including tourism spending.
But considering that a study had already been conducted, Binay said requesting for another P30 million for rebranding would already be redundant.
“And if that’s the case, so dapat alisin na natin ang (so we should remove the) P30-million,” said Binay.
“In fact, ‘di ba during the last budget hearing, that was my concern. When we changed the branding–just imagine, we’re spending P30 million for a strategy research, that doesn’t include the placement,” the senator added.
“And in terms of tourist arrivals, compared to our ASEAN neighbors that do not change their slogan, their tourist arrivals are higher,” she lamented.