I really wanted to share what this billboard looks like but I've been unable to take a picture as I'm always driving when I'm in the area. And you can't see it from the MRT because the track is underneath EDSA. Anyway, I borrowed some of these images from other bloggers to show you all what it looks like.
Personally, I really like the concept and the movement. I'm not sure how they were able to do this but I think it would be good if we had more of these billboards. I just hope this billboard will stay longer so we could enjoy it more.
I know there are a lot of other bloggers who have already shared this information but I think, I'm the only one who's informed about this ongoing issue between Coca- Cola and the Negros Sugar Industry. I found out about this through their Facebook campaign "Coke- FREE Negros."
Here are the reasons why there is an ongoing boycott for drinking Coca Cola products:
“People of Negros vs. Coca-Cola”
We, the sovereign, united and concerned people of Negros, do hereby prosecute Coca-Cola for the following violations and wrongdoings:
1. It has been deceiving the Filipino people.
For years now, it has been intentionally mislabeling the sweetening ingredient it is importing to be mixed in its products. They label it as pre-mix sugar to be classified not as sugar, thus making it merchandise free from mandatory tariffs imposed by the government on imported sugar. However, inspection and examination by a government regulatory agency showed that this so-called pre-mix sugar actually contains over 99% sugar, which according to law is supposed to be taxed.
This skillful deception is costing the Philippine government and the Filipino people millions of pesos in form of evaded importation taxes and tariffs.
2. Its unfair trade practices have brought perils to the sugar industry, to Negros and its people.
In its desire to earn skyrocketing profit, the company resorts to the mislabeling of its imported sweetening ingredient. Because this good is evading importation taxes and tariffs, the price of this pre-mix sugar is cheaper than the locally produced sugar. This has caused an artificial intrusion in the law of supply and demand of sugar in the country, thus distorting the market value of the harvested sugar canes and produced sugar in the country and in the province.
These unethical and self-centered practices of the company leave the sugar industry and its stakeholders, especially Negros, which is the sugar bowl of the country, at the brink of crisis.
3. Its High Fructose Corn Syrup ingredient had been found to be hazardous to human health.
It has been using High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), which is one of the reasons why obesity and diabetes are now epidemic in the United States. Even the US Food and Drug Agency found out that this HFCS contains a certain volume of lead, which is very dangerous to human health. Aside from that, many studies show that Coke drinkers are more prone to diseases like. Because of these health hazards, Coca-Cola resorted to even paying huge amount of money to doctors in the US just to endorse them so as to improve their marketing.
Coca cola is silently destroying the economy of Negros. This is a call to all Negrenses to stand up and defend our land.
*copied from the Facebook page.
Currently, some of my favorite restaurants and establishments are already supporting this cause. Here is a list of the establishments where you cannot order Coca-Cola products instead, you can only order Pepsi:
1. Ting-ting's Native Food - Shopping Area, Bacolod City
2. Chicken House - all branches
3. City Lunch - Shopping Area, Bacolod City
4. Hungry Pete's - Piazza Sorrento, 13th Lacson St., Bacolod City
5. Mother's Grill - Shopping Area, Bacolod City
6. Sharyn's Cansi House - Shopping Area, Bacolod City
7. Enting's Special of Sagay - Lacson St., Bacolod City
8.Pizza Hut - Bacolod City
9. Tater's
10. Kikoy and Kikay - Triangle Island Plaza, Shopping Area, Bacolod City
11. Mad's Dimsun - Triangle Island Plaza, Shopping Area, Bacolod City
12. Tatay Tony's - Art District, Lopue's Mandalagan, Bacolod City
13. Eleven Degrees - Art District, Lopue's Mandalagan, Bacolod City
14. Felicia's - 6th Lacson St., Bacolod City
15. Pantries - Convergys Bacolod, Lacson St., Bacolod City
16. The Garden - Convergys Bacolod, Lacson St., Bacolod City
17. Imay's - 6th St., Bacolod City
18. Ted's Old Timer La Paz Batchoy - Robinsons Place Bacolod, Bacolod City & Triangle Island Plaza, Shopping Area, Bacolod City
19. Max's Restaurant - Robinsons Place Bacolod, Bacolod City & SM City, Bacolod City
20. Camino's Place - Gatuslao St., Bacolod City & Brgy. Sum-ag, Bacolod City
21. Ceres Pasalubong Especial - Bacolod City
22. Taste Station - Lacson St., Bacolod City
23. Precy 24 Hrs Sugbahan - Lacson St., Bacolod City
24. Angel's Hamburger - Bacolod City
25. Mila's - Hinigaran, Negros Occidental
26. Apollo Restaurant - 888 Chinatown Square, Bacolod City
27. Hyksos Tulahan - Old Pala-Pala, Bacolod City
28. Cafe 1925 - Silay City, Negros Occidental
29. Tri-Point Kitchenette - North Terminal, Shopping Area, Bacolod City
30. Remings East - Lopues East Centre, Bacolod City
31. Nena Rose 2 Inasal - Narra Extension, Shopping Area, Bacolod City
32. Japs - Beside CSA-B, Shopping Area, Bacolod City
33. Mushu - Lacson St., Bacolod City
34. 18th St. Pala-pala - East Block, Bacolod City
35. Tio Sid's Burger
36. Bacolod Lechon Haus
37. La Consolacion College Canteen - Bacolod City
38. Chicken Burger - East Block, Bacolod City
39. West Negros University Canteen - Bacolod City
40. Technological University of the Philippines - Visayas - Talisay City, Negros Occidental
Hopefully, this issue will end soon. Even with the plant billboard, Negrenses are still angry with Coca-Cola and are serious about boycotting it.
*Photos from CFN Facebook Page. Billboard photos from internet.
Thank you for posting the two sides of the story. We know Coca-Cola is pouring in millions in their marketing and image handling but the issues we presented are real and are affecting millions of Filipinos dependent to the industry. They cannot claim a sense of corporate responsibility if their greed is costing the government billions of pesos and costing many people their living and lives.
ReplyDeleteBakit coke llang? panu naman yung ibang company gumagamit din ng ibang sweeteners(imported) maliban sa local sugar ng negros? Nakasisiguro ba kayo na lahat ng mga beverage company maliban sa coke ay gumagamit ng local sugar? kung nakalagay nga sa kanilang mga labels nakasigurado ba kayong di yon imported? Kapag di nyo naboycott lahat ng industry nagumagamit ng premix o ibang imported na sweeteners wala ring epekto ang boycott na to at patuloy pa rin si coke sa paggamit nito,,,...................
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