An insult to the Escudero bill

Carved on the side of Mt. Rushmore, in South Dakota, USA, are the faces of famous American presidents, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. This sculpture has served as a constant reminder of the historic contributions of these great leaders. It is enigmatic in that viewing it simply seems to lift even higher the nationalistic sense of Americans. Its wonder does not just work on the minds of US citizens who know Washington, et al. Those who are not familiar with how these renowned presidents look like are, upon seeing the faces etched on granite, so encouraged to ask what they have done for their country that the learning is lasting.

There is no doubting the immense propaganda value of this sculpture. Yes, its subliminal effect is widely recognized. In our country, we can see the replica of a Mt. Rushmore-like kind of advertisement in practically all government projects regardless of their sizes. No, we don’t carry the faces of Washington et al., rather we paint the names and faces of our political leaders on government projects as if the funds used come from their own pockets.

Let us give specifics. Because I live in the north district of this city, I will cite examples hereabout. Throughout this congressional district, we can see barangay tanods wearing uniforms that are labeled “Del Mar district”, not Cebu City North district. The labels are printed on the most prominent parts of the uniforms for everyone to see even at a quick glance and announce to the world that this is a family’s fiefdom. I asked once a tanod from whom he got the uniform he was wearing and his answer was spontaneous ---from the congressman. Was it a Mt. Rushmore type of propaganda?

How about on bigger things, do we see similar markings? Shortly before the elections last year, our government, not the congressman, purchased several buses for distribution to the barangays. Oh, the timing was perfectly aimed against the candidacy of former Lahug Barangay Captain Mary Ann de los Santos. To make sure that the source of funding could be mistaken as that of the representative, the pictures and the names of the lawmaker and his daughter, the anointed successor, were painted on the buses.

The markings on the shirt and on the buses were, to me, expressive of arrogance. The obvious intent was to make sure the people would know who was in control of the people’s money. To a more sinister extent, the names were printed on the shirts so that first, the tanods could remember who handed them the uniforms, and second, they could serve as roving propaganda.

Now comes the Senate Bill No. 2187, sponsored by Sen. Francis Escudero. It prohibits the kind of activity that is not dissimilar to writing names on the uniforms and on the buses. In fact, this bill criminalizes the act and makes the offender criminal.

To counter it, our congresswoman has made a brilliant anticipatory move. This is evident on the buses. The faces of the lady lawmaker and that of her father are carefully blotted out. Only their facial contours, hair, necks and shoulders are visible! They can claim that they have imbibed the spirit of the Escudero measure. This is where the brilliancy comes in. Rather than the Escudero proposal achieving its objective, the way the pictures of our honorable legislator are covered would increase our curiosity. This act heightens the propaganda value. Imagine a blanked face. We now ask: “Who are these persons, whose faces are intentionally blotted out?” So, the net effect is the reverse of the intention of Sen. Escudero. I think, this insults the senator.

   The teachings of recent events are worth noting. Abroad, Gaddafi (also written as Qaddafi, Khadaffi etc) and Mubarak ruled for more than 20 years. In the Philippines, the former President Marcos stayed in power for 20 years and Congresswoman Gloria Arroyo stayed in Malacañang, three years longer than a regular president. And the del Mar’s have been our only representative for more than 20 years also.