Department of Tourism (DoT) secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano and Black Eyed Peas’ member Allan Pineda Lindo a.k.a. Apl.de.ap launched Apl’s new music video and the DoT’s latest tourism campaign “Take Me to the Philippines” on September 27.
The launch of Apl’s video “Take U to the Philippines” was part of a three-day Singapore trip of the Philippine media that started on the 26th of September. The trip also focused on “Take Me to the Philippines,” a tourism campaign conceptualized by the DoT.
“In a world that’s predominantly driven by media, we are proud to produce a video that captures the essence of the country’s beauty and interprets it into a hip and dynamic music video,” DoT secretary Ace Durano said.
At noon that day, the guests were given a special treat as they were alongside Apl when MTV began the global launch of Apl’s new video. They saw in Apl’s eyes that his accomplishment was that of a Pinoy, beyond his persona as a member of the Black Eyed Peas.
Besides being a member of the internationally acclaimed group Black Eyed Peas, Apl was also chosen as the global ambassador of “Take Me to the Philippines”.
Both Ace and Apl see the project as the spark needed to re-establish the positioning of Philippine tourist spots as global destinations. But during their stay in Singapore, Ace focused more on the campaign’s impact on the Philippines.
“Tomorrow, we’ll see the Filipino people patronizing our destinations over the tourist spots abroad. We envision Filipinos not just to know the tourist destinations, but to be proud of each destination,” Durano said.
