While most businesses took care to dress up their stores with flags on their walls as their way of marking Philippine Independence Day last month, a small Angeles City pizza restaurant has opted to further push the envelope of patriotism, so to speak, beyond a mere showcase of national colors.



"Titser ka ba? (Marangal at tapat maglingkod sa bayan?) Dahil saludo kami sa 'yo, automatic, may 10% discount ka sa Armando's Pizza..." So goes the teaser to the latest inhouse campaign launched June 12 by the pizzeria that proudly bills itself as the "Pambansang Pizza."

"You can say we're putting our money where our mouth is," says Marc Nepomuceno, owner of Armando's Pizza, a homegrown pizza business established in Angeles City in 1973, and best known in the region for its uniquely "Filipiniana" pizza flavors.



Dubbed "Mga Bagong Bayani," the campaign, which is set to run for one entire year, is Armando's own small way of paying tribute to the hundreds of faceless, nameless new heroes of our time--"for their honesty, service, and love of country," says Marc.

So, you ask, what makes this discount campaign unlike other discount campaigns?

"First of all, it's automatic," Marc says. "You simply present your valid official ID when you order your favorite Armando's Pizza and you get 10% off on your total pizza order. That's all there is to it. No more clipping of coupons. No more point system. And no more VIP cards. Call it a gift, our small token of appreciation to all the modern-day heroes out there."

And by "heroes" Marc refers not only to teachers, whether public or private, but also to all "upright and patriotic" government employees, overseas Filipino workers, soldiers, firefighters, and police.

Marc, who is also the president of the Metro Angeles business chamber and the Pampanga hotel and restaurant association, believes that, in spite of government, a great number of individuals working within the system remain honest and true to the ideals of patriotism. "These hard-working individuals," he points out, "are the new Rizals, the new Bonifacios, and the new Mabinis of our generation."

According to Marc, Armando's Pizza is banking on good old word-of-mouth to promote what he calls their latest social campaign: "We may not be a global pizza brand. In fact, we're not even really national in scope. But it doesn't mean we can't launch a nationwide campaign on a shoestring, especially one that is dedicated to every Pinoy bagong bayani wherever one may be."

Armando's "Bagong Bayani" campaign, Marc adds, hopes to drive the message that truly Pinoy brands, however small, can take care of their own, even in times of recession. And especially in times of recession.

"You do not always need little bags containing half a million pesos to make a good campaign work. Sometimes, you just need to be sincere."

Armando's Pizza is exclusively available at Historic Camalig Restaurant. 292 Sto. Rosario Street, Angeles City, Philippines. Tels: (+6345) 322-5641/888-1077. Email: camalig@comclark.com. Website: http://www.camalig.com.