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The Guardian - UK

World

Rebecca Ratcliffe South-east Asia correspondent

Philippines mayor orders government workers to smile – or else

Aristotle Aguirre, the mayor of Mulanay — Aristotle Aguirre, the mayor of Mulanay (right). It’s all smiles at the local government office. Photograph: Kuya Aris Aguirre/Facebook

A mayor in the Philippines has ordered all local government workers and officials to smile while serving the public – and threatened disciplinary action against those who fail to comply.

Aristotle “Aris” L Aguirre, the mayor of Mulanay municipality in Quezon, has sought to tackle an apparent problem of low spirits among staff by signing an executive order adopting a “smile policy”.

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