I am sorry but the Philippines’ brand image just doesn’t really conjure images of a thriving creative service industry. Most of the PR we get in Asia (perhaps the rest of the world too) is; poor country, cheap travel, cheap beer, girls, great beaches, crazy politics and watch your wallet in the markets… Perhaps the brand image problem is at it’s peak in Hong Kong where the largest group of overseas residents are from the Philippines (95% female) and working as domestic helpers. The fact that of those ladies have college degrees and are working here as maids only deepens the suspicion that life in the islands must be years behind the “developed” financial centers like Hong Kong. Until last week my only experience working in Manila was over 10 years ago, (a watch launch at Imelda Marcos’s house, children starving in the street and diamond encrusted tai tais sipping champagne and several rather expensive watches went missing although they had an armed security watching the whole time, nothing to do with me I only did the entertainment)… anyway
So I headed to Manila to lecture on Creative Event Design with a heavy dose of pessimism and a missionary mind ready to liberate the poor souls…
What I found was most impressive. I found a group of organized talented, creative professionals with a desire to elevate their industry and the potential to create a “service revolution” in the Philippines. Many of the things they are already doing we are still just thinking about here. ( check out Advertising Services Assoc Philippines for their vetted membership directory http://www.asapmanila.org.ph/ )
Annaliza Laxamana of Next Step Events (http://www.nextstepevents.com )
Vince Reyes from Executive Decisions http://www.execdecisions.com.ph
Dr. Nardis Garcia Jr. CPM, AMEd, a lecturer at LaSalle College (one of the more prestigious private universities) long time marketing professional.
With help from:
Ms. Geramine Salvador also a lecturer at DeSalle University and the program director for the event management program at the The City College continuing education center, who just finished a book on Event Management.
Allen S. Velez from Events Pool – (http://asapmanila.org.ph/2008/05/22/asveventspool/ )
This group are the principal force behind “The Event Train Institute”. An association set up to educate and elevate the event industry in the Philippines. The seminar I was speaking at was very professionally organized, very well attended and left me thinking once again Hong Kong could learn a lot from their selfless dedication to their industry.
The event manager deserves a special notation… Annaliza’s home and factory (big house, two cars, factory with over 100 employees) was totally wiped out just two days before the event in the Manila floods. She bravely put on a professional face and carried on with the show in spite of no sleep and her inner devastation. This sort of professionalism shows the courage and determination the Philippine people have as well as a professionalism hardly seen in the rest of the world.
It is through dedicated professionals like the crew at Event Train Institute that will change the way the Philippines is perceived. Meanwhile Asia watch out a new powerhouse is on the horizon.
