Ten Reasons this Three-Minute YouTube Clip Shames RP’s Tourism Dept’s Multi-Million Dollar “It’s More Fun” Hype

A Facebook friend posted this awesome Rice Terraces wakeskating video a few days ago. I just ignored it. He asked: “Won’t this damage the terraces?”

I thought: “I don’t think so.” But that Facebook friend of mine is no environmentalist. By ‘environmentalist’, I mean a radical tree-hugging and soil-worshiping eco-fascist.

I decided to watch the video after seeing this comment: “I was actually expecting Pinoy Pride to spring somewhere. Where are the pridesters?”

Yeah! Where the heck are the pinoy pridesters?

To my surprise, the video’s top comments looked something like typical Filipino pridesters (or priders) wouldn’t say.

As expected, the video was attacked by plain “haters” and commenters who think they care more about the environment than others.

For example, this ‘concerned’ observer made the following comment:

Translation: “Just because you don’t see it being damaged doesn’t mean it’s not being damaged. They can promote tourism in other ways but this? Who would wakeskate on a rice field while someone is planting? 1:43. That’s just disrespectful and I’m happy it won’t happen again.”

Obviously that commenter is thinking too much!

Who would wakeskate while someone is planting rice? Common sense: It’s called promotion. The video is a promotional gig sponsored by Red Bull, and those planting rice were part of the whole show. It would have been very dull and boring if Brian Grubb performed his wakeskating stunts without props.

Aside from manufacturing powerful energy drinks, Red Bull is known for sponsoring or creating insanely cool promotional videos like Felix Baumgartner’s supersonic freefall, Danny Macaskill’s Industrial Revolution, Robbie Maddison’s $2-million New Year’s eve jump, and this heart-stopping mountain biking rampage.

And it had to be wakeskating, because I can’t imagine talented cyclist Danny Macaskill performing incredible bike stunts over the wet and slippery edges of the historic rice terraces.

Some people just need to think of the good sides of Red Bull’s latest viral video, like the fact that department of tourism doesn’t need to spend too much taxpayers’ money to promote our very own Banaue Rice Terraces.

Also, the video description states:

“Respect for the environment was a priority from the beginning of this project! The team has assured that the plants and wildlife have neither been damaged nor disturbed at any time during the project. All agreements have been made together with the locals and under respect of their traditions and culture.”

Can’t some people just put aside their ‘environmentalism’ and lack of common sense and just enjoy the video?

As the title of this blog states, Red Bull’s “Wakeskating the Eighth Wonder of the World w/ Brian Grubb”, which gained a total of 512,230 views as of this posting, is a million times better, more effective and more cost-efficient than any “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” propaganda created by the Department of Tourism, which has an annual budget of P2.9 billion!

Now here’s one BIG reason publicity hound conservationists and eco-fascists/environmentalists need to fuck off! The controversial wakeskating was done on PRIVATE LAND!  It was done outside the world heritage site. Which means that the KSP (kulang sa pansin) Heritage Conservation Society and its clueless minions, who have been shamelessly whining about this non-issue, just need to back off and respect the right and decision of the property owners who gave their consent to the Red Bull team.

Also, as this ABS-CBN report reveals, the  local government of Banaue gave permission for the shoot to take place in the area.

Here are top ten reasons the video shames the tourism department’s multi-million dollar promotional campaigns.

1. It tells a clear cultural story of the people who live in Banaue.

Of course, Red Bull and its talent, wakeskater Brian Grubb, need to show they’re culturally sensitive and aware. That’s what you do when you try to sell energy drinks.

2. It features insanely cool clips videographers at the tourism department can only dream of!

Well, I can only show you at least two screenshots. Better watch the video again and be the judge!

3. It shows awesome stunts.

Admit it. This is what you came for.

5. Brian Grubb says the historic site is a wakeskating paradise!

A wakeskate paraside? Now that’s a cool promotional line. When a Red Bull talent calls something “a paradise”, it has to be a real paradise, and he’s darn right! However, I’m sure that statement scares some people, particularly the tree-huggers. But that’s just the guy’s opinion, for goth’s sake!

6. Grubb promotes our 1,000 peso bill!

Well, that’s for foreign tourists! He’s saying our 1K peso bill features the rice terraces, which actually exists. Good to know…

7. ‘The place was real!’

Yeah, it is! Thanks for telling the whole world.

Brian Grubb says: “We just didn’t know if it was real or depicted like it is on the picture, so we ended up doing some research and finding out that this place was real and that the picture was exactly the way it is on here…”

8. It’s a viral video!

The video was first posted on October 24 and it quickly gained more than half a million views in just a few days! Which makes it a very cost-effective promotional campaign for both Red Bull and the Philippines…

9. Brian Grubb rode our very own Jeepney! Pinoy Priders must be very proud!

Just to complete my ten list.

But didn’t singer David Archuleta and actor Vin Diesel make news when they were seen ‘enjoying’ their very first jeepney ride in the Philippines?

10. Most of the top comments make me say, ‘Hay Salamat!’

I mean, ‘Hay salamat at mukhang nagbakasyon ang mga pinoy priders.’ Translation: “Thank goodness it looks like the usual pinoy priders took a vacation.”

Here’s how a butthurt pinoy leftard thinks…

A friendly advice to jay89120: Why not migrate to North Korea if you’re allergic to profits and if you want to preserve your self-perceived culture?

Postscript:

Perhaps Danny MacAskill should have been Red Bull’s “Rice Terraces” guy then. He did a number of Red Bull promotional videos as well, like this one…