Beyond epal... it's kapal!

There is a growing number of Filipinos, particularly in cyberspace, that have signified their disgust and anger towards politicians who use every imaginable opportunity to promote themselves particularly through billboards, tarpaulins and other advertising materials. The self-promotion is shamelessly done by Congressmen, Governors, Mayors, and other LGU officials using the flimsiest excuse such as: graduations, inaugurations, Valentines, Christmas and fiestas to remind voters of their existence and pathetic performance in public service. As a result, Netizens have dubbed their behavior as Epal or the electronic version of pal a very derogatory Tagalog term.

While so much attention has been given to Epals from the local government level, very little has been mentioned about what many call as “kapal” behavior of current Senators, children of Senators and would be Senators. Unless you have developed the unique ability to go blind and deaf during a political advertisement, chances are you’ve already noticed how many Senators and “Senatoriables” have been making their presence known through TV and radio ads.

One of the first to jump out of the stables is the father-son tandem of Senator Ed Angara and Sonny Angara. Unfortunately for the Angaras, their TV ads were so lame that even I can’t recall what product or angle they were dangling. All I could think of was that they were way ahead of the pack in terms of what could qualify as premature campaigning, except there is no law against it. One negative feedback I picked up though was that the father and son commercial reflected an extension and example of political dynasties in the Philippines.

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I’m sure you’ve seen how Senator Loren Legarda has transformed herself from environmentalist-tree planter to the new endorser for disaster response. While her ads may seem timely for the rainy season and recurrent floods, typhoons and earthquakes, Loren’s new “character” is simply not taking root. Either we’re not convinced or she has simply been typecast in the role as environmentalist because of all the messaging and advertising done in the past. The sad part is that she ends up throwing a hardly used vehicle that should have and still can give her a place in history beyond the short sighted history of politics.

It is unfortunate that Senator Legarda has often been distracted by many issues and politics that she failed to fully embrace her portrayal as the senate’s tree loving Maria Makiling, the way Pia Cayetano has etched herself as an mountain biking tri-athlete and icon for healthy living among many young Filipinos. If there is one thing I always associate Loren Legarda with, these would be the pockets of “tree zones” along several toll roads and highways. Whether it’s her fault or not, Senator Legarda failed to pour passion on the vision or failed to realize that so many years in the Senate and lots of supporters could have established a visible improvement on the greening of Metro and Mega Manila as well as many other parts of the country.

Had Loren Legarda opted to spend her money on an all out tree planting spree all over Metro Manila and the Philippines, she would have had living billboards in the form of trees that remind us of Loren, the trees would help improve the scenery as well as the environment, and peso for peso, the trickle down effect of tree planting would continue to several generations.

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While I still remember his days as TV host for an environmental-adventure program, not everyone can associate Migs Zubiri as an environmental action figure or super hero. What he is is a nice guy, maybe a good husband, and an experienced legislator politician. You can’t buy experience, insight and that is Zubiri’s advantage over the new wave of wannabes for the Senate.

When I saw Zubiri’s TV ad as an environmental action hero, it reminded me of a time when I used to play old ’45 records on a phonograph and black and white TV. It’s just so old. Why spend all that money in advertising when Migs could simply make himself available as a co-host, guest or resource speaker on TV and radio where he could share his vast experience beginning from being the son of a veteran politician all the way to becoming a politician and walking away from the life of a politician. Sorry Migs, but the TV ads belong to an era of trapos, an image you’re too young to bear.

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While I appreciate the “slick” style of Congressman Tanada’s radio commercial about the Freedom of Information bill, it also reminds me of someone who is “all talk and no action.” I don’t mean to cast doubt on Tanada’s sincerity, I am merely pointing out that the velocity of the FOI commercials are not matched by a very public effort displayed by Tanada to put the bill on everyone’s mind. In other words, the ads strike me as more about Tanada than the bill itself. In any case, if he’s footing the bill, I suppose he has every right to put his face on it.

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No less than a Commissioner of the Comelec has labeled all of these commercials as “premature campaigning” except there is no law that prohibits or classifies their action as such. There will never be a law because in this case it is the lawmakers, the Senators, their children and their wannabe senator allies who have full control of legislation. Just for the heck of it, may we ask the Comelec en banc to submit a proposal against premature elections one year before the campaign period and give it to the Senate and the House of Representatives. They can at least prove me wrong or prove me right.