Apology after Philippines tourism video uses foreign footage

Philippine tourism video

A Philippines advertising agency has apologised for using footage of other countries in a promotional tourism video.

The campaign used images of rice terraces in Indonesia, sand dunes in the United Arab Emirates and an aircraft landing in Switzerland.

The agency, DDB Philippines, apologised for the "unfortunate oversight".

Philippine's tourism secretary, Christina Garcia Frasco, said no public funds had been used to make the video.

Ms Frasco said the Department of Tourism had repeatedly sought confirmation from the advertising agency, DDB Philippines, that the materials used in the video were their own and were original.

She said on "ALL these occasions, DDB repeatedly assured the DOT that the originality and ownership of all materials are in order".

It was made as a part of a £708,298 (US 900,000) "Love the Philippines" campaign, which was launched in late June.

The use of the videos from other countries was first uncovered by analysis by French news agency AFP and Philippine blogger Sass Rogando Sasot.

Ms Frasco said the department would ensure DDB Philippines took accountability for the video.

DDB Philippines said in its own statement that the use of stock footage in mood videos is standard in the advertising industry, but apologised for using other videos in this instance.

"The use of foreign stock footage in a campaign promoting the Philippines in highly inappropriate, and contradictory to the DOT's objectives", it said.

The video has been removed and the company said it would assist the department of tourism with its investigation.

By Antoinette Radford

BBC