CEBU, Philippines - Only big publishing houses are said to enjoy from the amplified demand for elections-related printing jobs now that social networks compete with conventional media in advertising candidates for the May 13 polls.
Diego Busa of DMC Busa Printers in Barangay Tipolo, Mandaue City told The FREEMAN that they are seeing either a stagnation or decline in their printing requirements that are specifically associated with the upcoming elections.
“Kadaghanan sa mga kandidato karon muhangop naman gud sa social media as alternative channel sa ilang pangampanya maong apektado g’yud ang demand for mga flyers ug newsprints (Most candidates now resort to social media as an alternative channel to campaign, which in turn affects the demand for flyers and newsprints),†Busa said.
Busa, whose company has been operating for three decades now, also considers the TV as a major competitor of the printing business.
“Sa kadaghan sa ilang atimanon, mas ganahan man gud sila (kandidato) nga wala nay hasol ba. Pananglitan, sa TV di na sila mubayad og extra labor kumpara sa mga poster nga kinahanglan pa ipapilit (Candidates are normally too busy to attend to other hassles. For instance, if they advertise through TV, they don’t have to pay for extra labor for having their campaign materials posted),†he explained.
He added that the regulation of the Commission on Elections to designate common poster areas has also limited job orders for campaign materials from the candidates.
Busa said that they still cater to elections-related printing jobs, although he pointed out that demand now is very bleak, adding that most of the big orders go to the major industry players only.
Telling from past experience with customers not being able to meet their obligations after the elections, they are now a bit skeptic in accepting orders on account.
According to Dr. Emilio Matheu Jr., a professor in the Graduate School of Business and Management at the University of San Jose-Recoletos, this trend in advertising involving the social networks is inevitable considering that people are now living in an electronic age.
He said the advancement in technology has provided alternatives for politicians to venture into other publicity outlets that are cheaper and more convenient.
Apart from DMC Busa Printers, customer representatives from three other printing companies separately interviewed by The FREEMAN also said they are seeing no significant increase in their sales this election season though they refused to have their names mentioned.
But such is not the case for another printing house called Our Press, Inc. which is located at No. 4 Gen. Junquera Ext., Cebu City.
Operations manager Jessry Flores said that although they are only running a small-scale printing business, they are now experiencing 40 percent surge in their regular production requirements, particularly attributing the elections as a major factor to the increase.
“We take advantage of the demand from neighboring provinces since it’s hard to penetrate the market in Cebu City with all the stiff competition,†he said.
Flores said they were able to close a P100,000-deal with a candidate from Sogod, Southern Leyte as well as a sample ballot print job for a famous TV host who is running for mayor in an Eastern Visayas city.
“For two weeks now, we have been running extra production hours to meet the deadlines,†Flores said. (FREEMAN)