The son of Gil Puyat released this statement about this sign
Victor Puyat, the son of the late Senate President Gil Puyat, slammed the “Gil Tulog” sign that went viral on social media.
Netizens from Makati City were surprised to see street signs stating “Gil Puyat Avenue” replaced the original “Gil Puyat Avenue.” This became a viral topic on social media. It was found out that this was for a marketing campaign by supplement brand Wellspring to promote its melatonin gummies.
This was also posted on the social media pages of the supplement brand. As of this writing, the one posted on Facebook was already deleted but it is still on its Instagram page.
Some netizens criticized the sudden and announced change while some netizens created funny posts about this.
Makati Mayor Abby Binay released a statement regarding this. She said that the permit for this advertising campaign did not reach her office. The Mayor also stressed that the city officials who granted the permit should have been more careful about this.
Binay also apologized to the commuters if this has confused them, as well as, to the family of the late Senate President. “These signs have been taken down on my instruction,” the Mayor said in a Facebook post.
Based on the article in Rappler, Victor Puyat expressed dismay at the alteration that happened. The son of the late Senate President said, “What has happened to our sense of respect for each other.”
He also said that there is a line that people should not cross in measuring self-respect. Victor also stressed that their name is “not to be violated by reasons that are financial, political, or otherwise.”
Erika Puyat Lontok, the granddaughter of the late Senate President, criticized the alteration of the signage. She pointed out that besmirching her late great-grandfather’s name just to advertise a melatonin product was nothing but disrespectful.