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.

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