By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

WHO would have thought or expected a senatorial candidate would practice what he preaches about his advocacy during a campaign at a critical stage of his political career?

Well, former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano who’s making a comeback as senator in 2022 decided to conduct an “eco-friendly and  lead-by-example” campaign. This means, his campaign will forgo production and distribution of paper-based campaign materials from flyers to posters and handbills.

Cayetano said his campaign will focus instead on using digital platforms, radio and print media since and limit giveaways, user-friendly materials to create awareness for his  election bid.

The former secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs said he was inspired by the experience of many people in coping with the Covid pandemic. He said that one of the unexpected results of the pandemic that people experienced in addition is seeing their families closer than ever and, consequently, their “stay home” moments resulted in cleaner environment out in the streets.

Is he being idealistic and impractical at this stage? Perhaps so but that’s the way it has been  with him in his political career.

When he was House Speaker for 19 months, he wanted to prove that all is not lost in regaining the people’s trust and respect for the House of Representatives’ members and the institution.

Cayetano rallied his fellow congressmen to make their committees active and productive even as he cut off the illegal and traditional pork barrel. He even brought the House members to Tagaytay for its first out of town session to bring aid to victims of the Taal Volcano eruption.

His moves earned an unprecedented 60% approval rating for the House, and 75% for the  House Speaker – from the usual 20% and below approval rating of both over the past decades!

Today, he believes people can help change attitude and habits towards the environment, by being proactive, doing something worthwhile for the environment.

Some say he’s taking a serious risk of getting lower level of awareness about his election. But he feels confident that through word of mouth from his digital, radio and print media  exposure can more than make up for the feared loss of support for lack of visibility without the traditional use of paper posers, flyers, etc.

His campaign activities will include urging supporters to join him do more for the environment, including planting trees and  garden plants and be concerned on seeing how our environment is being destroyed during the campaign to demonstrate their support for the country’s efforts to protect and preserve a safe environment.

Cayetano knows that by doing away with printed campaign materials is leading by example, and the only way to do it.

Will his eco-friendly approach in politics work for him? I pray it will.

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GOOD NEWS FOR THE BARKADA. When media reported the lifting of the curfew, ban on serving and consuming alcohol, etc…  the initial reaction of the public obviously was generally positive, and welcomed it.

But a curious view will likely tell you the real motive behind it especially when viewed against the prevailing circumstances. From where I sit, the decision of Dagupan Mayor Brian Lim to lift the restrictive measures while the city is still under Alert Level 3 and considered a moderate risk is not only folly, reckless and inconsiderate but a deceptive move to serve profit motives.

There’s no doubt that he feels justified saying he’s doing it to accelerate the process to enable the city to restart the economy in the city faster.  But at what price?

How can lifting a curfew and allowing persons to consume alcohol in public all night long accelerate the restarting of economy? As expected, more people will be going out at night in bars, removing their masks, and in their drunken state begin to believe that the habit that going around without masks is the new norm.

Isn’t this really about improving nightly revenues business at his family-owned  Metro Plaza that hosts a bar, restaurant and a coffee shop?

Then how can completely stopping the disinfection of the market on scheduled days to protect public health improve the local economy?

Isn’t it really about the need to increase the illegal daily tong being collected from fish vendors? 

Haay naku… basta may perang maibulsa ang usapan, gagawin lahat.

As the mantra of the barkada at the city hall goes: “What are in power for? “

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HERE COME THE TROLLS. Here’s what to expect in the weeks and months leading to May 9 elections.

After months of recruitment, the tested and hired trolls of national and local candidates for propaganda and demolition tasks have already been suited for their daily tasks.

You can detect one by checking their Facebook profile pics and posts.

Here are easy ways to detect them:
1. You are seeing their posts for the first time.
2.  They have few pictures to show their faces.
3. Their activities show nothing.
4. Their past posts were insignificant.
5. Their posts show little or no reaction from their “friends” .

Then there are the vloggers. You can tell if they are in the pockets of candidates from their narratives – puro hallelujah and expletives, for and against his/her candidate.

You can choose to be entertained and amused but one thing is certain, once you are hooked, you will find yourself being combative and high strung when talking about candidates with relatives and friends. When you get to that point, your relatives and friends will know you are suffering from an overload of propaganda from social media.

So for your sanity, know the trolls and hate-vloggers – then block them with glee!

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OPEN VOTE-BUYING IN PANGASINAN. I wonder if and when local candidates will again come around with thick files of voters’ list obviously hacked and illegally obtained from Comelec database, for their blatant and brazen vote-buying scheme in communities.

Wonder of all wonders, these schemes were done in public last two elections, right under the very noses of designated Comelec supervisors but NO operator was reported to have been arrested and charged in court for vote-buying and illegal possession of official records of Comelec.  

Even worse, the DILG directors in our towns and cities where these were being conducted were mum about the whole illegal operations.

It’d be interesting to record what the response of the newly designated Comelec provincial supervisor, the DILG directors and local police chiefs would be if asked by local media what they’d do once these are reported to them. 

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A toast to the old and new lovers, may your passion for life keep you together forever.

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