N.B. – This was published in Asian Correspondent (August 4, 11:45 a.m.) where I write a column (Philippine Fantasy).

I wondered aloud as I wandered around: What makes my funny signs project sustainable?

The answer turns out to be simple: The Philippines really has a lot of them! While at a popular mall in Marikina, two things came to mind when I saw this sign.

First, “text lingo” is now beyond SMS and MMS; it can now be seen in the so-called old media, in this case the printed sign.

What’s the second thing? Filipinos can be very creative in marketing their business. Who would have thought that the name of a money changer could be named after a plant that remains green throughout the year? Of course, the word “evergreen” is obviously a creative reference to the almighty, ubiquitous US dollar which is also called the greenback.

So off I went to Evergreen. And then I noticed something wrong. Guess what?

Let’s take a closer look at the problematic phrasing.

Currencies, as we all know, are usually composed of bills and coins. If what Evergreen accepts are foreign currencies and old Philippine coins, then it has to be made clear. The same is true if it accepts all kinds of foreign currencies, including coins (e.g., dollar cents).

For our next funny sign, I have nothing but admiration for the owner of this laundry service. What do you call it again?

As regards the next one, I’m not sure if the owner was drunk when he or she thought of this brand name.

The sign below may lead you to quip: “Surely you can’t be serious!”

I hope the joke won’t be on the poor customer — He or she pawns a 14-karat ring and gets it back after two weeks, 13 karats less. But I’m sure that’s not the intended message of Karat One.

For our last sign, allow me to be a bit political. The country’s unpopular ex-President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, turns out to be very much with us. And it’s not just because she decided to run for Congress in the last election and eventually landed a seat in the House of Representatives. When you go inside a supermarket, you’ll see her initials in the rice section.

Yes, GMA rice can be relatively cheap compared to other brands, which is ironic since the former President’s wealth is reportedly unexplainable.

More funny signs next week. Thank you for reading!