Filipino businesses support elections with discounts and freebies

Anxious voters did not have to wait idly for the election results on Monday, thanks to enterprising businesses that offered a slew of promos for dining and shopping.

A nuisance on most occasions, ink-stained index fingers on May 9 pointed the way to free food and upsized drinks, discounted sportswear and even cheaper gas amid surging pump prices.

Social media accounts of small cafes and milk tea stalls lured buyers with 10 to 20 percent discounts.

Not to be outdone, larger companies, such as Max’s Group and Jollibee Foods, packaged freebie donuts and desserts to dine-in and drive-thru customers who cast their ballots.

The Yu family-led fuel retailer Seaoil Philippines lowered gasoline and diesel rates for motorists who could show their inked fingers while US sporting goods giant Nike touted marked down prices on some of its stores.

“Rock that vote, save 10 percent,” an ad by Nike Park Philippines showed on Monday.

Resty Perez, a businessman and veteran public relations consultant, said companies were responding to the explosive level of public engagement during the present election cycle.

He likened the mood to the 1986 People Power revolution that toppled the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., whose son is running for president in the 2022 polls.

“People are really invested in the results of this election so I would think companies, in a way, are actually encouraging the public to participate,” he told the Inquirer.

Perez agreed there was a clear business case for enterprises to engage with Filipino voters as their numbers ballooned to 67.5 million registered participants this year compared to 54.4 million during the last presidential elections in 2016.

This quest for profits, however, was less apparent in some of the other examples found by the Inquirer.

Parañaque-based Jdiamond Car Rental said on Monday it was offering free rides to bring nearby residents to their polling precincts while Ayala Land Inc. slashed its parking fees in Makati City as presidential contender and incumbent vice president, Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, held her final daylong rally on Saturday.

“It was the same in 1986. For some businesses, they forget the profit motive for a moment because they’re now thinking about the country,” Perez said.

TSB