The lawmaker claimed that PLDT was “biased” against Filipino talents.
A lawmaker called out top officials of PLDT for tapping foreigners as the telco’s product endorsers, branding this as a “misplaced preference“.
Probinsiyano Ako Partylist Representative Ronnie Ong recently called out top officials of PLDT for tapping foreigners as the company’s products endorsers, branding this as a “misplaced preference”.
In a statement, a partylist representative expressed disapproval over the decision of PLDT to hire A-list artists outside the Philippine showbiz.
He also claimed that PLDT was biased against Filipino talents, stressing paying hundreds of million-pesos to foreigners for the telecommunications company’s product promotions amidst this pandemic that wrought havoc in the country’s economy was “immensely insensitive and unsympathetic, to say the least”.
Last January 2021, South Korean pop supergroup BTS joined PLDT’s wireless arm Smart Communications for its banner 2021 campaign, seeking to penetrate the group’s massive fanbase.
Two months after, Smart made a major announcement anew with “Captain America” star Chris Evans as the company’s newest celebrity endorser. Five months after, Smart made another major announcement with South Korean pop group TOMORROW X TOGETHER as its newest celebrity endorser.
PLDT tapped South Korean stars Hyun Bin and Son Ye-Jin, who both appeared in Netflix’s “Crash Landing on You”, for its #SimpleSmartAko campaign last 2020.
“We understand the right of local companies to choose whoever they want endorsing their products but we would like to remind them to choose Filipino first just like when we remind our kababayans to choose Filipino products first,” Ong said.
READ ALSO: Globe Telecom Names BLACKPINK As Newest Brand Ambassador
While the Pangilinan-led telco has yet to react to Ong’s statement on the matter, the group had been tapping local artists for its campaigns and product promotions.
Toni Gonzaga, along with her family, joined PLDT Home for the #DoItBetter campaign last July. Smart also tapped Anne Curtis for the #MakeTheSmartMove as the company invited consumers to join the Smart family while keeping their existing number.
Maine Mendoza was also the face of Smart’s GigaPay. Smart also tapped Hidilyn Diaz as the company’s endorser back in August.
Gizguide reported that the lawmaker didn’t comment on Globe Telecom’s use of South Korean pop supergroup BLACKPINK. Other local companies like Penshoppe and Bench were also commissioning South Korean superstars in order to promote their products.
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