Truth
in GMA’s Advertising
Although
some people may view the three infomercials glorifying President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo’s (GMA’s) supposed accomplishments as sometimes effective,
many still see them as, to use a Filipino lingo, “OA” (overacting).
The President is supposed to do her job and not flaunt what she’s done, unless
she’s already campaigning for the 2004 presidential elections, ordinary
Filipinos interviewed by this contributor say.
By
Rhea delos Santos*
Bulatlat.com
“Ang daming kabutihan, iyong
nakikita. Kailangan lang nating buksan, pananaw…” (Many good deeds are
being done, just open your eyes), croons the voice in the popular government
advertisement.
The TV ad is one of three
commercials that highlight President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s supposed
accomplishments. Trendy, well-crafted and appealing, the new commercials are far
from the often crudely-made advertisements that the Philippine Information
Agency (PIA) endorses.
The three commercials were an
instant hit among viewers. However, while some people may find the
advertisements visually appealing and the scripts amusing (one commercial was
spoofed in a gag show), others have raised an eyebrow on how the commercials
exaggerate the administration’s accomplishments. “OA” (overacting) was how
some viewers call them.
Glossy
ads
The three advertisements are
produced by the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS), minus the endorsement of
the PIA, which usually releases the government advertisements.
The first two commercials feature an
endearing family enjoying the benefits of lowered electricity rates, low-priced
medicine and fast transportation (i.e. Metro Rail Transit). The two commercials
end with an upbeat President announcing, “Alaga ko sa pamilyang Pilipino…Magtulungan
po tayo” (The things I do for the Filipino family…Let’s help each
other).
The
third commercial lists the (State-of-the-Nation (SONA) accomplishments of the
administration. Among these are more textbooks and computers in public schools,
funds for farm and fisheries improvement, housing units, lowered electricity
cost, fuel efficiency, and others. The advertisement is complete with a winsome
song and capped with the message, “Ang good ol’ days ay narito pa rin...ngayon”
(The good old days are still here).
The three commercials have been on
the air for over a month now. Unlike PIA advertisements that are seldom played
over major TV stations, the three OPS commercials are seen on all free TV
channels even on prime time. One common observation among viewers is that the
commercials look very expensive.
“Mukhang ginastusan talaga”
(Looks like a lot of money was spent), Rodel Valerio, a 26-year-old engineer,
describes the commercials, noting that they are aired throughout the day.
“That’s unusual for a government ad,” he adds.
The OPS also reportedly hired
renowned director Marilou Diaz-Abaya to make the commercials.
To find out how much was spent for
the commercials, this writer tried to interview OPS Undersecretary Roberto Capco
who, the OPS staff say, is in charge of the advertisements. Mr. Capco, however,
was not available for comment.
Valerio nevertheless notes, “Kung
ginamit pa sana sa tao ang pondo ng advertisements, mas napakanibangan pa”
(The money used to produce the ads should have been better spent for the
people).
Truth
in advertising
Aside from being costly, viewers ask
whether what the commercials are trying to convey are true. “Ang OA ng
advertisements. Totoo ba talagang nagawa iyon ng gobyerno?” (The ads are
too much. Were these really made by government?) asks Georgina Ortiz, a
21-yeear-old editorial assistant.
For Prising Colina, a 41-year-old
laundrywoman, the advertisements are catchy but misleading. Unlike the housewife
who was able to buy a new electric fan because of a low electric bill, Aling
Prising’s monthly bill remains the same.
“Dati, ang binabayaran namin sa
kuryente ay P750,” recalls Aling Prising. “Nang ibaba raw ang PPA,
naging P700 ito. Pero hindi namin naramdaman ang pagbaba kasi halos pareho lang
din” (We used to pay P750 for electricity. When PPA was lowered, it became
P700. But we don’t feel any difference at all).
“Siya ba talaga ang nagpababa ng
singil sa kuryente? Alam ko ibinaba ito dahil sa pagrereklamo ng mga
consumers” (Was she really the one who lowered the electricity rates? What I
know is that consumers were outraged so the electricity rates were lowered),
Valerio points out. Even then, there was no noticeable decrease in our electric
bill.”
Faced with a declining popularity,
Mrs. Arroyo asked the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) last May to suspend the
controversial Purchased Power Adjustment (PPA) after it met widespread protests
from angry consumers. However, this suspension does not mean that consumers are
free from paying the National Power Corporation’s obligations to independent
power producers (IPPs). Under Arroyo’s proposal, they will still shoulder this
burden through a P0.40 per kwh universal charge.
Moreover, the National Economic
Development Authority (NEDA) admits that the government cannot afford to suspend
the PPA for long because it is damaging to government finances. Worse, Meralco
recently announced a power rate increase of P0.14 per kwh starting next month
ostensibly due to what it says are high foreign exchange rates and oil prices.
Confusing
Another accomplishment that the
commercials feature is the half-priced medicines in government hospitals. This
is a product of the parallel importation under the Pharma 50 program, where the
government imports low-priced drugs from India.
Local manaufacturers have expressed
disgust over this program because it unfairly competes with similarly-priced
local medicines and generics. The program is also unsustainable because of its
erratic funding, the last of which was a dole-out from the Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes Office. The imported drugs also account for only 1.6 percent of the
total pharmaceutical market.
This explains Aling Prising’s
comment:: “Wala namang gamot sa mga ospital” (But there are no such
medicines in the hospitals). She recounts how she and her neighbors found it
upsetting that there were no available drugs at the East Avenue Hospital in
Quezon City. They were forced to buy them at the drugstore, where even the
prices of generic drugs are unaffordable to the poor.
Aling Prising adds that the
advertisement about the lower drug prices is confusing. Like her, people might
be misled into thinking that prices of important medicines are indeed lower in
all government hospitals.
Similarly, the housing units that were supposedly distributed were a result of
government loans provided to real estate developers. While the advertisements
easily state that over 300,000 housing units were awarded, they appear to leave
out the discouraging financial schemes that real estate developers use. Says
Aling Prising, “Ordinary folk like us could not possibly afford these housing
schemes.”
Furthermore, what tends to irk
viewers is how Mrs. Arroyo, through the advertisements, takes credit for
accomplishments she did not make. “Pati MRT, inako niya bilang
accomplishment” (She has even claimed that she built the MRT), observes
Valerio. “It was as if she is the only to thank for the MRT, which was not
even built under her administration.”
Early
presidential campaign?
The alleged inaccuracies
notwithstanding, viewers admit that the three advertisements are effective,
well-made PR for the President.
“They are full of good things
about the administration, which I think can fool ordinary people,” says BR
Guiruela, a 20-year-old researcher. “The advertisements are effective if the
audience is not critical.”
For Aling Prising, the commercials
are unmistakably part of Mrs. Arroyo’s campaign for the 2004 elections.
“Malakas kasi ang oposisyon,” she says.
Valerio shares Aling Prising’s
observation. “This early, maybe she feels threatened,” he says adding, “Kahit
sinong pulitiko, basta gumawa ng advertisement, suguradong kampanya iyon”
(Any advertisement produced by a political is part of a political campaign).
As Aling Prising concludes, whether
the commercials are true or not, accomplishing the tasks expected of a President
need not be advertised. “Bahagi iyon ng mga tungkulin ng isang pangulo. Hindi
na kailangan pang gawan ang mga ito ng advertisement” (That’s part of her
job as president. Her job needs no advertisement), she says. Bulatlat.com
*Article
was written by the author for a workshop organized recently by People’s Media
Center.
We
want to know what you think of this article.
|