I don't know who coined this term and when it was last used to drive up the sales of Filipino made products. Nevertheless, I think that the exhortation to patronize locally made product brands over foreign brands should experience a resurgence of sorts.
With the Aquino Administration coming into power, I suppose another worthy battle cry that should be right up there with "kapag walang corrupt, walang mahirap" is "bilihin mo, gawang PNOY".
(Forgive my attempt at being cute.)
In any case, one thing I can say about our OFWS and Filipinos who have migrated to other parts of the globe is that they don't have to be told to "buy Filipino". The actually pack suitcases full of Filipino brands when they go away to work in a foreign land or go back to their home in some other country.
My brother, a ship doctor on board a luxury cruise ship, regularly brings brands like Barrio Fiesta, Tanduay (Americans and Europeans love it), various dried manggo brands, Happee Toothpaste, etcetera.
For one, it helps ease the homesickness he feels when he is on the ship. Sharing a pack of dried manggos or even a bag of cornick (deep fried corn) with his fellow Filipino crewmates is enough to bring him back home.
Another reason is that their American, European, and Middle Eastern superiors and workmates have at one time or another gotten a taste of one Filipino product and liked it.
Another brother, who is in Canada, does the same thing and being the lady's man, he tends to bring stuff like Happy Feet bakya, embroidered fans, chocolate tablets, and other "exotic" Filipino delicacies. One time he brought to Canada shirts made by Pidro and bottles of lambanog -- and received several marriage proposals.
All in all, perhaps the new Administration ought to seriously consider giving our OFWs some means of getting Filipino made products to wherever they may be. Perhaps the Philippine Postal Service can be tapped in a program that can be similar to what was done for American GI's who received parcels from the homeland containing chewing gum, chocolate bars, adult magazines, and other stuff.
No comments:
Post a Comment