DOT: We’ll rebid ₧50-M branding campaign project

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

HETDepartment of Tourism

(DOT) is set to rebid the P50million branding campaign project that produced the “Love the Philippines” slogan, after terminating the services of DDB Philippines Inc., the advertising agency which was earlier awarded the contract.

At Tuesday’s House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations Hearing on the DOT’s P2.99-billion budget for fiscal year 2024, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said, “I can confirm that since the termination of the contract, the process of procurement for the branding, which includes the production of videos, is already underway.” She added that DOT also “forfeited” the P14.98-million surety bond DDB had to submit in compliance with the terms of the branding project.

The so-called “mood video” created by DDB was found to have used foreign scenes, leading to to termination of its contract. The video was shown in Cambodia, to industry stakeholders, at the DOT’s 50th anniversary as part of the unveiling of the new “Love” slogan. It was likewise uploaded on DOT’s social media pages.

DDB project for TPB on sked

IN response to OFW Partylist Rep. Marissa “Del Mar” P. Magsino’s questions on other contracts awarded to DDB, Frasco said DOT has also “suspended” the P124.45million project awarded to the advertising agency on February 8, 2023 for the “Promotion of Philippine Islands, Award-Winning Destinations, and Tourism Products.”

DOT’s marketing arm, the Tourism Promotions Board, on the other hand, said DDB already completed the P12.99-million branding project for the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions (MICE) sector. “The contract that we have with DDB for the MICE campaign is already ready to launch. We also did a thorough review on the terms of reference and the deliverables of the DDB to us, so far all have been okay. So we will continue with it,” said TPB COO Margarita M. Nograles.

DOT, however, didn’t mention the status of other projects which may have been won by DDB or its other units, such as Ripple8 for public relations, and Touch XDA, for media placement.

‘Speed up your BUR’ MEANWHILE , the commitee senior vice chairm Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Luz A. Quimbo, bewailed DOT’s poor budget utilization rate (BUR) of 31 percent as