Experience the Philippines

The Department of Tourism (DOT) launched a new campaign with a promotional video entitled 'Sights' during the celebration of the 119th Philippine Independence Day with a new tag line 'Experience the Philippines'.  The video features a blind Japanese retiree named M. Uchimura narrating his experience while in the Philippines with the following copy:  "Here you don't have to see the sun to discover radiance.  You don't have to see color to experience vibrance.  You don't have to see smiles to know you're safe.  You don't have to see to feel at home."  At the end of the video he takes out a cane revealing that he is blind.

The video found similarities to another video by the New South African Tourism entitled 'Meet South Africa' launched last 2014.  However, the DOT and its video producer McCann Philippines was quoted denying claims of plagiarism as the video was based on a personal testimonial of a real retiree.