MANILA, Philippines - After the brouhaha caused by the problematic “Pilipinas, Kay Ganda” slogan, the Department of Tourism is inviting communications, design and advertising firms to bid for a “brand” that will boost the country’s image.

In a statement, Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim said: “Our objective is to commission a Country Brand which can be used by all national government agencies and local government units for their promotional and messaging work so that we project a single strong message and theme for the Philippines internationally and domestically.”

The brand can also be used by the private sector, which will align their promotional efforts with that of the country’s.

The “Invitation to Bid” was released on June 27. The shortlist of 7 eligible bidders will be announced on July 14.

The preparation of the bidding terms of reference was done in consultation with an advisory group composed of the private sector organized by the National Competitiveness Council, Department of Tourism, Department of Finance, and Department of Trade and Industry’s CITEM unit.

The eligible bidders will then be given 2 months to prepare their respective campaigns.

The presentations will be made on September 15, before the DOT’s special bids and awards committee. Six observers from the private sector will be invited.

Once an agency is selected, it will have 2 months to finalize its work for a final delivery by end November.

The country brand will be launched to the public by the end of the year. It will also be introduced internationally at the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Manado, Indonesia on January 13 next year.

The DOT said the brand must capture the country’s essence as the best destination for tourism, investments, services, and trade. The brand shall include a multi-media campaign in print, television, outdoor advertising, new media and events.

The DOT shall still lead in developing and implementing the country brand.

Lim said the campaign shall play an important role in increasing tourist arrivals, job generation, etcetera.