Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. on Tuesday said that the Department of Tourism’s termination of its contract with an advertising agency, DDB Philippines, for promotional tourism campaigns must be a “correct” move.
In a Viber message to reporters, Revilla lamented that the DDB Philippines’ shortcomings amid the launching of the new tourism slogan are such a humiliation to the country.
“The Department of Tourism is more than justified in terminating its agreement with DDB Philippines. DDB’s admitted ‘oversight’ has caused the country embarrassment,” he said.
“We are one with the Filipino people in the indignation expressed towards the shortcomings of DDB that resulted in infirmities in the recently launched campaign of the DoT,” he added.
Revilla meanwhile lauded the DoT for taking the “right step” to making DDB Philippines accountable for the controversies hounding the new tourism campaign.
“I likewise commend the DoT in its swift action of exacting accountability from DDB Philippines,” he said.
Revilla also cited DoT Secretary Christina Frasco’s efforts to revive tourism and the tourism industry hit hard by the global health crisis.
“The efforts of the DOT under the very able stewardship of Sec. Christina Frasco in the past year to help rehabilitate local industries which suffered tremendously with the global shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic should not be obscured by the failure and mistake of DDB Philippines which was not only beyond, but utterly in contravention of its obligations to DOT under their agreement,” he said.