Private sector supports government campaign

Businesses and multi-national companies in the private sector have come to support the government, particularly Taskforce T3 (Test, Trace, Treat), the multi-sector initiative put together in April 2020 to work closely with the Department of Health (DOH), the National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19, and the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to manage the outbreak of the pandemic in the country.  With the reopening of the economy, the group realized the importance of rebuilding consumer confidence with health and safety still a priority. 

Ingat Angat Tayong Lahat is the private sectors’ communication advocacy campaign which aims to develop and build consumer confidence that will help restart the economy safely while the country continues to battle the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With a message of resilience, hope, and inspiration, the campaign aims to encourage businesses to continue to increase operations while enforcing strict health and safety standards, as well as empowering consumers with information to safely commute, shop from their favorite stores, patronize their favorite restaurants, and navigate other public spaces in sectors severely hit by the pandemic-induced lockdowns.

More than 30 plus brand partners have come and band together to show their love for consumers during this pandemic. The campaign has already obtained the support of the biggest corporations and brands in the country, including Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Alliance Global Group (Megaworld, Resorts World, Emperador), Jollibee Foods Corporation, McDonald’s Philippines, Goldilocks, BDO, BPI, Metrobank, Paymaya, Alaska, Champion, Century Pacific Food Inc., Coca Cola Philippines, Oishi LIwayway Marketing Corp., PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble Philippines, RFM Corporation, Unilever, Petron/San Miguel Corporation, Shell, Ayala Malls, Filinvest Development Corporation, Robinsons Malls, SM Supermalls, Globe Telecom, Smart Communications, Angkas and Food Panda.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon M. Lopez praises this initiative and stresses the importance for businesses to unite to win back the confidence of consumers and get the economy back on its feet.

“At this point in managing the COVID-19 pandemic, balancing health and the economy is our main priority. This is why we are pushing for the gradual and safe reopening of the economy. In line with the spirit of the campaign, we can only move forward by supporting and keeping one another safe while protecting lives and livelihoods,” Sec. Lopez said.

Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Chairman and CEO of Ayala Corporation, a founding partner of TaskForce T3, underscored the importance of continued public-private sector cooperation. “The private sector has found a new front where we can be supportive of the fight against COVID, and that is in restoring the  confidence of our citizens that we can all resume our lives and livelihoods, so long as we strictly follow the minimum health standards recommended by health experts.”

Margot Torres, Managing Director for McDonald’s Philippines and Ingat Angat Tayong Lahat communications advocacy co-lead, expressed her faith in the Filipinos’ resilience and optimism.

“Ingat Angat Tayong Lahat aims to transform the mindset of consumers. We are breaking through the helplessness many felt at the height of the pandemic and helping lead Filipinos to empowered vigilance and continued safety during this period,” Torres said.

Greater participation needed

Another lead proponent of Ingat Angat Tayong Lahat, Angkas’ Chief Transport Advocate George Royeca, calls on more companies, especially small and medium enterprises, to get on board with Ingat Angat.

“This campaign is for all businesses – not only the big brands, but more so for small and medium enterprises. We invite all businesses from all over the country to participate and embrace this advocacy. Let us all help each other get back on our feet safely and surely,” Royeca says.

The creative idea behind the campaign and its memorable tagline of Ingat Angat Tayong Lahat were crafted by the geniuses of TBWA/Santiago Mangada Puno’s Managing Partner and Chief Creative Officer Melvin Mangada.

“The tagline and the supporting visual brands and materials, which can be adapted by any brand, help promote the message of Ingat Angat Tayong Lahat, creating a sense of solidarity with the whole business community and our consumers,” Mangada explains. These visual aids include branding guidelines, logos and templates that business groups can download and adapt to their operations.

The campaign also includes a series of inspiring videos distributed across different multi-media platforms that shows unity and solidarity among competing brands. Perhaps, this could be the very first time that we can see a video of McDonald’s and Jollibee, or Shell and Petron together in one scene for an official campaign that defies rivalry and instead giving us inspiration that will lead to a better economy and future for us all.

For more information, visit the Ingat Angat campaign website, www.ingat-angat.com, and join the Viber Community https://vb.me/IngatAngat, where you can download Ingat Angat stickers and get information on safety guidelines of your favorite establishments, COVID-19 updates, and articles from credible sources. Ingat Angat Tayong Lahat!