While You’re Sleeping

 I’ve got to give it the drumbeaters and marketing men and women of Smart Telecommunications.

While the other line was sleeping and under their very noses, Smart pulled a fast one over them, taking the netizens – including the Titas and Titos, the Omas and Opas of Manila – in a feverish spin with the unveiling Monday Hyun Bin’s endorsement of Smartees LTE, its newest digital product on the block.  

The tweet from unless than Manny V. Pangilinan already went viral in social media five days prior with his disclosure that the 37-year old chinky-eyed, bedimpled star of CLOY, the acronym for Crush Landing On You that continues to be among the top 10 trending K-Telenovela in the Philippines, as the newest brand ambassador of SMART.

It was a breathe of free air from all the virus-related news that peppered us for over 80-days since the imposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the shift to MECQ to GCQ.

If it weren’t for the virus, Hyun Bin would have been physically here in the country and it goes without saying that the event would go down in history as the well-attended gathering.   

The market introduction of SMARTess LTE is timely under the present circumstance. One needs a fast ISP (internet service provider) due to the work-from-home mode. This combined with increased viewers of Netflix and VUI results to the clogging of the digital highway.

There were even days that the “anyare?” was the common shutout of netizens, particularly those WFH mode, ranting about the slowness of the internet service. The resultant buffering delays transmission of data-report and even participation in online meetings such as Zoom or Bluejeans.

I can fully relate here. Buffering bothers me a lot. Although, I’ve a postpaid handheld ISP, my home ISP is neither of the two. It’s bundled up with my cable provider. May be it’s high time for me to change or subscribe to SMARTees.

Back to Hyun Bin’s Smart endorsement. Views of the Korean actor’s, who by the way holds a Master’s Degree in Theater and Film from Chung Ang University, endorsement of “Smartees,” so far reached over 55 thousand.

The script was brief, intense and crisp in conveying the message. Hyun Bin was subtle in luring new subscribers and for those who already are into Smart, it’s time to upgrade when he described SMRTee LTE as “a game changer.”

Who wont’s swoon over the “Annyeonghaseyo … Hello Philippines” being dished out by Binnie, Hyun Bin’s nickname? Followed by “I am happy to be part of the Smart Family, Mahal Ko Kayo, and punctuated by Smart Ako!

That was awesome! Take a bow ladies and gentlemen of Smart corporate communications and marketing.

In an altogether different issue, but, is hugging the headlines of broadsheets, tabloid, social media and broadcast stations is the letter from the US Embassy announcing the suspension of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

I cannot but fill you in on what I think about this.

Well, President Duterte who has been calling for this may now be satisfied with suspension. But a simpleton like me, the VFA suspension simply means the Department of Education’s partner, the members of the US military service, in the Balik Eskwela Program, will no longer be in sight.

Right this very month every year, pictures of good looking, suave US military personnel lending a helping hand of sprucing up, cleaning and Dui (do it yourself) projects in local elementary schools are a common sight, plastered in print, social and broadcast media. 

Well, these two are the trending issues around the metropolis while we’re all sleeping.