"LOVE THE PHILIPPINES"

This is my reaction to Department of Tourism (DOT) new slogan that launched on July 5, 2023.  The Philippines’ DOT has new slogan from decade old “It’s More Fun in the Philippines”, it was changed to “Love The Philippines”.  I am a fan of local travel.  I am not so much interested to travel to different countries because I believe my Philippines is much better than those fancy international destinations that most of my kabayans are keen of choosing.  For one thing, I am a nature lover than modern-time mindset.  Besides, I would better support my own and patronize our own products.

 

I am not a commentator here per se, but I think it is just rightful for me to react because since I love going to different beautiful places in the country, I am in the position to have natural reaction when the DOT new slogan campaign was launched.  About two days after its debut, initially the first reaction I had was to ask “what love, why love the Philippines.”  Definitely there is nothing wrong to love the country but what initially I felt was what is that love that it wants to convey?  With only three words, it was like being left hanging.  Why?  What?  The word love is nice.  It is positive word but to use it in that way it gives different connotation that can be negative.  The way it is written, is it a command to love the country, our country? It is dictatorship.  Or is it kind of saying a loving Philippines?  Does it mean Philippines is love?  The new slogan brought questions of whats and whys.    What is love the Philippines? What love is the Philippines? What Philippines has to love? Why Philippines has to love?  Why Philippines love?  And it was followed by my impressions that it was so simple, unappealing and ambiguous.  Others said it is cringe because it is begging or imperative and imposing.

 

Unlike the predecessor that was a straightforward phrase, the new slogan is vague.  But when I read the context of the slogan and watched the slogan video, then I realized the clear message and it is nice. It is how much there is to love about being Filipino and how much there is to love about the Philippines.  When you understood our heritage, culture, story, history; you will definitely love our country. When our guests experienced the places, views, hospitality, foods, adventures and the moments, they will love the Philippines.  Love the Philippines for it has the beauty that will enchant you. Love the Philippines for its colors that will mesmerize you and sounds that will spell you. Love the Philippine for the fun that you will miss, the places that you will look for, and the people you will be thankful you met.  What we have will become the reasons to love the Philippines. Love the Philippines is loving everything about Philippines that you will love to keep on coming back to the places.

 

Love The Philippines the slogan is an emotion and an expression.  It is expressing that with all these good things in the Philippines, you will just feel and say you love the Philippines.  You will understand and appreciate it when you watched the campaign video but reading the slogan alone, it gives unfavorable feeling.  And honestly, it is not catchy – no catchphrase and it is not something that leaves remarkable good impact – no recall.  To fix but need to keep the words “Love the Philippines” without being sound dictator, I would like to make it “Love Is The Philippines”, and this is original from me.

 

If I were to make the slogan, I made two slogans on which one is an in-depth impact while the other one is a happy-vibe.  “Thousands of Paradise Philippines” and “Feel At Home In Philippines”.  The first one is representing the archipelago of beautiful places of the Philippines, while the second doesn’t sound imposing or commanding but it is symbolizing the hospitality of the Filipinos.  “Feeling Philippines” is a catchy rhyme and quick recall tagline but I am not sure if it is grammatically correct.  I have thought of many more but their sounds are not original.  “Thousands of Destinations Philippines” is supposedly but Botswana and UAE have presently used the word destinations.  Another is “The Enchanting Philippines” but Myanmar have used the root word “enchant” while the root word “amaze” was used by Ghana and Thailand.  Senegal and Belarus have already used “hospitality”.  In the context of the word love, “Fall in love with Philippines” and “With Love Philippines” are my propositions.  And lastly “Philippines The Place To Be”, while “Be the Philippines Guests” are my bottom most ideas.

#LoveThePhilippines