From Batanes to Jolo, BF posters soon to sprout

MANILA, Philippines – His posters are going beyond the confines of Metro Manila, and can now be seen on street corners from Batanes to Jolo.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando has new tarpaulins featuring a new photograph – with his index finger pointed straight at you.

Known as the “pink panther” with a very Filipino manner of speaking when it comes to public service announcements, Fernando said his new posters will soon be seen all over the Philippines.

He said his people, who are working for him personally and are not MMDA employees, have begun putting up BF tarpaulins in Northern Luzon provinces.

“Mga batas ay solusyon, dapat alamin at sundin (Laws are the solution, learn them and obey them),” one poster reads.

“Pantay-pantay kung may disiplina (There is equality when there is discipline),” says another.

Fernando however strongly denied allegations that he is using public funds of the MMDA to further his own political plans, and said he has his own people going around the country who are not MMDA personnel.

He also defended his various posters dotting the city landscape, saying he is only “promoting order” unlike others who are endorsing beauty products.

Fernando, who has been very vocal about his plan to run for president in 2010 under the Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) party, said he cannot be accused of early campaigning because there is no such thing in the first place.

“It’s a personal advocacy. It’s the same advocacy (we are promoting in the MMDA.) There’s nothing wrong with that, anybody can have his own advocacy,” he told The STAR.

“I’m not endorsing any beauty product, I am endorsing ‘kaayusan’ (order),” emphasized Fernando, who is said to have earned the ire of the poor but praise from the middle class because of his strong advocacy for law and order.

The MMDA chair has been going around the country the past months for speaking engagements and other activities, even just plain visits “to test the waters.”

According to him, he has been gaining popularity and is still the only Lakas-CMD party member who has declared interest in the upcoming presidential elections.

In Metro Manila, posters with his photograph showing him holding his chin and looking very serious are being criticized as early campaign material.

Joking that his very own mother told him he is not at all good looking, Fernando defended the materials as serious public service announcements by a very serious man of law and order.

“Some are asking why is there a picture. There is a picture to attract attention,” he said, adding that his photograph has indeed caught the attention of many.

Fernando said sending out the message that the MMDA is very serious in instilling discipline in the metropolis would not be that effective if his tarpaulins show his smiling face.