Except for those required grade-school essays, I don’t remember jotting down New Year’s resolutions. This year though, I will. I have three in my mind right now, the list is likely grow longer as the year progresses, but three is a good number to start with.
1. Stop trying to make sense of Philippine politics.
The only way to understand politics is to understand human nature. The only way to make any sense out of Philippine politics is to understand human nature in consonance with Filipino culture. Simplistic? Yes and no. The trick is not to mistake the trees for the forest. In media, as elsewhere, we hear and read opinions by so-called political analysts who tell us what the possible scenarios might be. They have theories about why so-and-so will gain in the next social media surveys and why so-and-so is not likely to win in the 2010 elections.
The truth is, most of them are engaging in guesswork. And they’re not even all that good at it. If you know about people and Filipino culture, the average Juan can make better assessments. For instance, there was this group of lawyers, all U.P. graduates who knew Gilbert Teodoro from way back, who were discussing just how much support he is likely to get from fellow alumni. Will he get open support and votes? From among those who knew him well, he likely will. Why – because he is best qualified? Not exactly. More like because “I know him, he’s not a bad person, ergo, I will support him and vote for him.” Someone else’s words, not mine. Told you before, I’m not a believer in this election circus.
You’d think that high educational attainment makes one less prone to personality-based politics, but no. And when the motivation gets that personal, what is left unsaid makes me cringe even more. No one will say it in so many words but when someone votes for a candidate because of personal ties, you can almost be sure that there lurks in the not too distant horizon the thought that if the candidate does get elected, then, the friend who openly supported and voted for him will likely be showered with political gratitude. And I don’t need to spell out what that means. Suffice to say that political utang na loob is the backbone of corruption and ineptitude in any government.
Do you really need a degree in Political Science or a PhD in Sociology to make an intelligent assessment about something like that? People are by nature selfish – greedy, even – but let’s not attach any moral judgment to that trait so that we can understand that it is nothing but an extension of the instinct for self-preservation. It’s not about good and evil. Everyone wants to survive. And if one can survive in style, why the heck not?
The problem, of course, is that when personal interests clash with common interests, most people are unable to transcend the boundaries of personal interests to start giving more importance to the common good. And the narrow-mindedness precludes understanding that the survival of the many is in favor of the individual too. When we hear the so-called political experts say that the Filipinos lack political maturity, that’s all that it really means – the inability to transcend personal interests in favor of the common good. And it has nothing – NOTHING – to do with educational attainment.
2. To hell with Michael V., Villar and Bubble Gang.
We hadn’t seen Bubble Gang in months when we tuned in a week or so ago. And there was Manny Villar in a skit with Michael V.
Most of us are already aware about the nature of paid endorsements. It’s cheating, of course, because the gullible public is made to believe that the celebrity is making a personal recommendation of a product that he or she has tested and finds useful when, in fact, the endorser may have never used the product at all. In the same manner, there are celebrities that endorse political candidates not for shared visions but for money. MONEY.
I do not know what the nature of Michael V.’s endorsement of Villar is. But it is one thing to guest a candidate in a public affairs program to let him talk about about himself and his so-called programs and quite a different thing to allow him to campaign in an entertainment show as though he weren’t campaigning at all. There’s something sleazy about the shady maneuver, the subtle manipulation and the underhanded insinuation into the psyche. Cheap, to say the least. And downright sickening.
3. Learn more about making and producing movies.
Hitler was smart. He knew the propaganda value of movies so he produced movies. Marcos learned from him and had “Iginuhit ng Tadhana” and “Pinagbuklod ng Langit” to bolster his and his family’s image. A lot of wannabe politicians, including incumbent Manila mayor Alfredo Lim, had their bioflicks made prior to launching their political careers.
Joseph Estrada tried to counter his negative image with “Ang Mabuhay Para sa Masa” but the Arroyo administration is just as well-versed with the power of movies and the Estrada bioflick was never publicly shown. Other politicians and wannabes with no real productive private lives worth portraying in movies utilize the medium by playing supermen instead.
There’s also such a thing as spoof movies to counter, make fun of and demean every film meant to boost a political career, including the recurring remakes of “Ang Panday” with Bong Revilla.
Maybe I’ll be a film producer one of these days and do “The Fockers and the Basterds” with a sequel every three years. I really ought to make the acquaintance of Quentin Tarantino.
You are right Ms Connie, we really cannot make sense of this election and the personalities involve. And Bitoy and his endorsement of Villar, not funny!
I think it's time to filter Google Adsense again. It's showing Villar ads. And I just finally got rid of Bayani Fernando's. Argh!
I first filtered out the AdSense ad for Villar's main website. Now I have to do it again because this time the ad now points to his Facebook account. This is one of the direct perils of writing about politics.
Yeh, that's what I'm getting too — the darn Facebook account. Grrrr.
Well, however we feel about the Google ads, it still marks an important development: the evolution of on-line media as a campaign tool. I think in the last elections, it was mostly e-mail forwarding. Now, it's a whole new thing.
1. On the matter of local politics. It is a joke, plain and simple.
2. On the MMFF. It makes one question the credibility of a film festival when one of its criteria is the box office earnings of the competing films. It makes even less sense when earnings sideline matters such as camera work plot, and just good 'ol fashioned story-telling.
And when Bong is awarded best actor, I can only say that at least I'll have something to use as a vent when I go to my next boxing session.
To say that the MMFF is stupud is being too polite – it's frakking retarded, and I am happy that it is over.
I take issue with that too — top box office grosser is NOT equal to best picture. But it's been the standard of the film fest for sooooo darn long. Which really just means money is the incentive rather than showcasing the art of Filipinos.
Re: Bong Revilla. Never mind.
If you want a filmfest showcasing just what our fellow pinoys are really capable of, my friend suggests the Cinemalaya festival. It says a lot when some its entries get a shot at more prestigious events such as the Cannes Film Festival.
Freaking retarded MTRCB, now that you've brought Cannes up. Cannes Film Festival winner Brillante Mendoza's "Kinatay" was banned by the MTRCB! And MTRCB's threatening to sue UP for showing indie and art films for so-called "indecency!"
SM refuses to show such films too, citing "violence" and "indecency." All conveniently ignoring that movies such as "Panday" and the Manny Pacquiao fights are all about violence too! Hypocrisy.
And the National Artist Awards, if anyone remembers…
I guess it all underscores the point: most of Philippine politics is like most of Philippine showbiz–ham actors and terrible plots, which most people seem to gobble up with gusto.
Blech. :-p
The MTRCB.
Bah. I've always thought state-sponsored censorship is a very, very bad idea.
"Censorship is like telling a man he can't have steak because babies don't have teeth." – Mark Twain
Why doesn't the board ban Bong from being aired then? He's obviously a dick and an asshole.
My younger daughter agrees with you — she objects to the R-18 rating of The Ingloriuous Basterds.
A word of advice: Stay away from SM cinemas.
You'll pay as much watching in the GB3 and Robinson's Cinemas, but their theatres are cleaner, newer, and they have much better refreshments. Not to mention the latter cinemas don't have qualms about showing R-18 stuff.
Loved your point no. 2.
Well, something to make Pinoys (esp pinoy foodies) proud:
http://www.spot.ph/2010/01/05/pinay-white-house-c…
Yey!
Con, I'm just waiting for you to make your own movie. Kelan?
Kelan ka libre? You play the leading man. hehehe
It seems to me that the logic behind the MTRCB is this:
"Monkey see, monkey do. And because Pinoys are only as smart as monkeys, anything they see on film and TV, they'll do. So we, Catholic school people, and/or conservative geniuses, are the only ones who are allowed to see such movies."
The constant presence of a Jesuit in the MTRCB is a dead giveaway; not to mention an affront to the separation of Church and State.
Re: "The constant presence of a Jesuit in the MTRCB…"
Whoa! I didn't know that!
Well *bleep* them – I'm not Catholic, so who the *bleep* gives them the *bleeping* right to *bleep* tell me what to *bleeping* do?
If they want to stop piracy, they can start by pulling their heads out of their arses.
I'm trying to get a list of MTRCB members by term. Can't find any. Darn.
Try Googling Fr. Nick Cruz S.J
Instead of comments for Mr. Villar a letter for him..!
Dear Senator,
I read an article to the STAR, Saturday, Jan.2, 2010, regarding your effort for a "Green Transport Policy".
Then, I read to the Wikipedia your profile and your overall achievements. So, you are a powerful businessman and politician meaning you are aware of all the problems regarding the pollution and disgusting traffic problems. At the same level of power there are many persons of your elite.
I cannot believe that you don't care since you live in Manila under such deadly smog..
But the conditions get worst year by year ! What can I think ?
1. Lobbying of Jeepney owners is more powerful than you.. (all of you, I mean).
2. Lobbying of the awful private bus owners is more powerful than you..
3. Lobbying of the truck owners is more powerful than you..
All or some of them maintain to keep the present status unchanged. How ? By many ways, they "bought" your silence or the usual game of politicians "When there is a problem, we make a Committee to solve it.." Is this right or wrong ?
Your name is first at the approval of Philippines Clean Air Act 1999.
What had happened TEN YEARS later, regarding motor vehicles ? A big ZERO !
(For all Public Transport vehicles, at least..)
And now, your "Green Transport Policy" ?
Akis Vatikiotis
P.S. As I don’t have personal involvement or interest, I have a 3 pages proposal at your own disposal, as I still enjoy utopias for my new second country (recently relocated from Greece).
Manny Villar, an SGVean who cooked his books and made a fortune in realty business. Not to mention a public record of 3 properties bought by his realty company and padded their values 10 times to get overpriced loan from the bank (that he also owned) that latter went bankcrupt. No crime committed except the depositors lost their money.
But the gullible Filipinos can only see a poor Filipino who turned into a millionaire senator. A dream all Filipinos can easy to follow.
When elected, Manny Villar next raid will be the Philippine Treasury, a familiar script from once a hardworking student who studied law from inside the prison and later became the infamous dictator with Swiss account (no one else but Marcos).