New tourism slogan

“It’s a gift-giving time,” says an ad. Another ad says: “Give till it hurts.” My friend Noy Temyong says: “no way I could get hurt because I got nothing to give.”

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The tourism slogan “Wow Philippines” has been replaced with “Pilipinas Kay Ganda.” You tell that to a foreign tourist and chances are he’d say: “What?” Instead of: “Wow!”

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A schoolteacher says our tourism come-on-slogan should be in simple English like the ones she saw in other Asean countries. Like “Visit Singapore,” “Come to Thailand,” or “See you in Jakarta.”

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Someone who disliked the “Pilipinas Kay Ganda” slogan said “the slogan change is politically motivated.” Wh? “Because ‘Wow Philippines’ was coined during Cebuano Tourism Sec. Ace Durano’s watch.”

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From a text message: “After Manny Pacquiao won his 8th division title, a father told his son, “Dong, putot ka man, pagboksing nalang naay daghang kuwarta sa boksing.” The son replied, “dili pa oi, mag-Customs comissioner ko.” Hehe.

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E-mail from Ermin Amigable III: “Doesn’t the BIR require storeowners to issue sales receipts that are clearly printed by their computer machines? On many occasions I get receipts that can’t be read due to lack of ink.” (This is the nth time I received complaints like this. — JVJ)

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E-mail from my daughter in the States: “The victory of Manny Pacquiao against his Mexican opponent did us Pinoys proud ... It was another shining moment for Filipinos here.”

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My daughter lives in a State in the US where the minority is mostly Mexican. “Pero sports kaayo sila. They cheered for Margarito but after the fight they congratulated the Filipinos around.”

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A congressman has been reported to be planning to introduce a bill seeking a ban on the chewing of bubble gum in and out of a government and private building. This is a sticky proposition, don’t you think?

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In Singapore it’s strictly no chewing gum anywhere. But it says here that every year the government spends a large amount for the removal of discarded gums in the elevators.

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