In an amusing coincidence (see yesterday’s entry), I just learned that Cebu Pacific, in association with Word Camp Philippines, has sponsored a contest called the Cebu Pacific Blogging Challenge.
The contest is open to all bloggers, although the prizes are yet to be specified; do read the official blog entry to read the mechanics. The main item in the mechanics that amuses me, however, is item number 4:
Contest entries are blog posts that:
1. are at least 200 words long;
2. talk about places that are destinations of Cebu Pacific flights (e.g., Davao City);
3. must not contain negative reviews of the airline or any harmful content pertaining to the airline in any manner;
4. contain at least one text link to http://www.cebupacificair.com (e.g., “Cebu Pacific” or “affordable flights in the Philippines”), and must not have the rel=”nofollow” attribute in the link tag;
5. must not contain any other links except to Cebu Pacific’s website.
Emphasis mine.
Cebu Pacific has undergone a LOT of negative criticism lately, including from this blogger, and all I see in this contest is a futile effort to “balance” the “distorted” views of Cebu Pacific online and convince everyone that their airline is great, if only because they’re baiting us bloggers to blog about them in a positive way.
The irony is that the solution to Cebu Pacific’s bad reputation woes will need a lot more than a blogging contest. I will have to reserve my opinions regarding how to reverse public perception for another post.
Consider this as my (un)official entry to the blogging contest. 
23 responses so far ↓
1 the jester-in-exile // Sep 11, 2008 at 2:25 pm
jon, item 9:
so why will anyone want to join this contest?
2 Jon Limjap // Sep 11, 2008 at 2:44 pm
jester,
At their own risk, I guess! :p
3 respe // Sep 11, 2008 at 4:06 pm
this is my official entry..
http://wehatecebupacific.webs.com
4 wilson ng // Sep 11, 2008 at 6:27 pm
oh, c’mon,
can’t be that bad….
all companies and people makes stupid mistakes…. and they do too….. the technique is to succeed by not making too much…
5 Jon Limjap // Sep 11, 2008 at 7:33 pm
@wilson,
Well, the rate Cebu Pacific is going, they’ve done waaay too much.
As I stated in the previous post’s comments, the contention of many of the stories in the website is not that flights get delayed per se, but it is by the demeanor Cebu Pacific employees handle those situations e.g., by being rude to their customers instead of being apologetic regarding the situation, which adds insult to injury.
So all of these little skirmishes has led to a lot of blog pots which I’ve come to believe is the only REAL reason this contest even exists.
6 noemi // Sep 11, 2008 at 10:04 pm
I haven’t flown Cebu Pacific in ages. I think the last time I took their plane, their reputation was sky-high. I think they even had games on board? An easter egg hunt of sorts. Do they still do that.
They should also try to improve customer service. I think that is more important.
7 MiGs // Sep 16, 2008 at 4:07 pm
It was the organizers of wordcamp philippines who thought of having a “blogging challenge” which involves travel.. We thought of this to promote the places here in the Philippines. As you might have known by now, we, Bloggers from Mindanao, are really encouraging everyone to visit places lalo na here down south.
And we approached cebu pacific for this. And they gave us a nod.
8 Jon Limjap // Sep 16, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Migs,
I sincerely believe that you approached the wrong airline for this. But that’s just me.
Speaking of which… I have pending blog entries regarding to my trips around the Philippines, including one to Camiguin. Fine, fine island that place is.
Gotta get that posted soon.
9 freeze // Sep 17, 2008 at 1:15 pm
prizes not disclosed? isn’t that against the rules of DTI?
how about free tickets? taxes and surcharges excluded!!!
10 Jon Limjap // Sep 17, 2008 at 2:38 pm
freeze,
The prizes are 5 roundtrip domestic airline tickets with Cebu Pacific, one for each of the 5 winning entries.
That’s clearly specified in the rules. Hopefully they’re tax free.
11 gizmo // Sep 19, 2008 at 9:15 pm
i think they’re tax free. however are the winners assured that the prizes can be booked and not get bumped off at the last minute?
12 the jester-in-exile // Sep 24, 2008 at 3:58 pm
no, gizmo, the contest rules say that you and your tickets will have the same airline rules as other passengers.
13 Chino F // Sep 26, 2008 at 4:08 am
Whoever must’ve been the exec that made 5J good in the old days must be gone. Whoever’s in there now may be downright incompetent… or just not listened to by management.
But 5J’s a Filipino-run business run Filipino way. Go figure. The good businesses here always adopt foreign management methods… our country’s culture never had a management method… just excellent mismanagement methods.
14 Mrs. G // Sep 28, 2008 at 12:03 pm
If normal airline rules will apply, how is that different from their Piso-fare promo?
Maybe Respe can organize a counter-contest. LOL!
@Respe – Your site rocks!
15 Jon Limjap // Sep 28, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Chino,
I don’t think that’s a fair assessment.
Management is not a matter of nationality nor race — there are a bunch of great managers here, and there are a bunch of companies offering great customer service to their clients as well.
Sweeping generalizations are always risky, my friend.
16 chered // Oct 3, 2008 at 8:45 am
they should work in the issue of some credit cards not able to process in their online transactions..
17 Brian Enriquez // Oct 24, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Cebu Pacific is the worst airline I know. I would rather pay for a much expensive airline than buy their cheap but very bad serviced alternative. 1st and only time I booked here costed me more hassle, frustration and money! Their phone only rings but never answered… Never returns emails. Changes your booking as they please… We missed our flight as they changed booking of 2 passengers who stole our seats right in front of our faces. They paid for the rebooking fee, and as it was our turn asked us to pay for rebooking fee for the next flight? WTF??? Until now my blood still boils of anger! They should quit all those in-flight games and entertainment and just give downright proper service. We take the plane to travel, not to be entertained!!!
18 Marco // Oct 25, 2008 at 6:15 pm
they also had a promo in davao in coordination with Mindanao times newspaper about Writing Good memories onboard Cebu Pacific flight and a prize of free ticket is to be given away. I hope they improve their service!
19 Joanne // Nov 30, 2008 at 1:52 pm
I also have a very bad experience with Cebu Pacific. I bought a ticket online (for a friend), and had already paid the credit card company for the ticket. Two weeks later my friend forwarded me an email from them that the transaction didn’t push through. They asked my friend to pay in Cash. I was supposed to receive the refund for the ‘failed’ transaction but I have yet to receive it. Have tried calling but was told by the accounting person that the ‘refunds dept’ was too far – they couldn’t patch me though. They gave me another number to call but NO ONE answered. I am so frustrated with their lack of service and incompetence. I only hope that I will receive the refund soon.
20 anne // Jan 12, 2010 at 12:05 am
if you cant take the heat, get out of the kitchen. i guess, that’s the simplest rule for all these complaints. if you’ve had bad experience with cebu pacific, then take it as a lesson — then NEVER fly with them AGAIN! take your word! and not EAT it later on… i bet, you’ll visit their site again once a PROMO is published. haha… tsk! tsk… puro lang kayo reklamo!
21 Jon Limjap // Jan 15, 2010 at 12:19 am
Anne,
Two things:
1. You get what you pay for
2. PAL has Econolight na — same price, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better service
=========
This entry is more than a year old already, yet I can’t blame people if they continue pouring their frustrations out here. Quite unfortunate, I think.
22 Dissapointed Flyer // Feb 12, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Yea, Cebu Pacific sucks in so many ways, its incredible they are still in business.
23 Liza // Feb 16, 2010 at 4:03 pm
got a phone call from my friend just this morning, he was in cebu pacific rob galleria in ortigas to cancel flight to bangkok for next month March 8 to 10. Yesterday 2-15-10, i tried browsing your website.. (cebu pacific website) as far as i can remember… refund was being allowed, though it was not stipulated in what form. to make things short. My friend was told that a certain Php2,500.00 will be deducted one way for every Php10,000.00.. which means.. since we booked 2 flight.. we will be deducted Php10,000.00 also because for every individual that has a back and forth computation would cost Php5,000.00 each. The worse part of this, i told my friend that to be able to enlighten my mind.. kindly ask the person he talked to.. to furnish him a copy of their policy regarding the amount that will be deducted… no policy was given to him instead, he was informed that it was a memo to employees that those amount will be deducted. What else… even if half of the amount will be deducted, we still cannot refund the remaining balance because according to them we have to do another booking so it wont get forfeited… HOLY GHOSTTTTTTTTTTT… We are asking for refund not rebooking. Can somebody from Cebu Pacific explain this to me?…
liza
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