WHAT THE FUSS about entertainers losing or winning in the recent midterm elections?
And popularity isn’t a guarantee anymore to win a mandate.
Really, now?
To begin with, there is no demarcation line anymore between entertainers, regular and occasional, who both aspire for public posts in a political exercise as an election.
As in there’s no barriers anymore between entertainment and information
‘What matters most about politicians is self-introspection for the betterment of society and the governed is being critical and vigilant about public servants, articulate or not, corrupt or morally upright.’
In the past, Andres Bonifacio was an entertainer as a moro-moro or komedya actor who essayed Bernardo Carpio before, during and after his Katipunan that might have influenced the voters, favorably or not, during the Tejeros Convention. Vicente Salumbides, a film pioneer in the 1920s, won a seat in the 1935 Constitutional Convention for his popularity as an auteur.
AGE OF MISINFORMATION
Still, in the age of misinformation and disinformation, it appears natural entertaining while informing and vice-versa, the only way to discern if it’s fake or real is either to defy, edify or just qualify logic and verite of the messenger.
These days, it is easier to sell a product as politics and its properties, particularly the politicians and their pursuits of power (either vested on them or on the majority) in their messages, clear or polluted. If questionable or muddled, then we get to the bottom of things which impatiently could border on ennui.
There’s such a thing as absolute truth, though, for Christ’s sake.
Let’s start entertaining thoughts that each aspirant is an entertainer and what they informed among the winning candidates in the Senate seats.
DIGITAL COMMUNICATION
In the age of digital communication and post post-modern concept of semiotics, one of them Bong Go has appeared in a TikTok dance with Robin Padilla and Phillip Salvador, and officially or not, he is a content creator who provides the binary if not portmanteau of infotainment no matter the price the nation has to pay.
Bam Aquino is a media savvy person who has hosted TV shows while pivoting around Kris Aquino and her family.
Tito Sotto, aside from being a comedian on television and film, is a regular host of the noontime show “Eat Bulaga.”
Camille Villar is a multimedia endorser and a model however indie or freelancer or self-appointed as promoter/presenter of Villar businesses.
Imee Marcos, aside from her astute mass media experience, is a film producer.
Rodante Marcoleta is a favorite figure among his brethren in Net25.
Kiko Pangilinan is, of course, Sharon Cuneta’s on and off-cam leading man who knows how to project and savor every second on air, oriented or not by the longest media romancer Megastar.
Ping Lacson’s life had a biopic version and so his film appreciation is emphatic to gather more mass appeal.
Erwin Tulfo knows how to utilize and face the cameras having been on board for decades.
Pia Cayetano is your health and wellness guru on cam.
Bato de la Rosa’s filmbio was portrayed by Robin yet Bato himself is a good actor in real life–reality TV when he sobbed during a legislative inquiry.
Lito Lapid is your kiss-kiss, bang-bang screen action hero.
LOSERS FROM SHOWBIZ
The losers themselves are regular showbiz guys Ipe, Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., Jimmy Bondoc, Manny Pacquiao, Willie Revillame, Marc Gamboa, Willie Ong, among others, who if not mentioned here are themselves directly or indirectly participant to the spectator-screen/stage relationship.
Action protagonist Dan Fernandez and his running mate. ex-teenybopper and sexy actress Gem Castillo lost as Laguna governor and vice-governor, respectively while ABS-CBN former broadcaster Sol Aragones toppled them in the provincial power hold.
Does losing celebs Luis Manzano and Jorge Jerico Ejercito as vice-gubernatorial bets in Batangas and Laguna, respectively; Roi Vinzons as Benguet provincial board member; Marco Gumabao (Camarines Sur, 4th District), Ejay Falcon (Oriental Mindoro, 2nd District), Lino Cayetano (Pateros, Taguig City), and Rey Malonzo (Caloocan City, 1st District) as congressmen;
Raymond Bagatsing (Manila), Sam Verzosa (Manila), Philip Cezar (San Juan), Victor Neri (Makati), Emilio Garcia (Bay, Laguna), DJ Durano (Sogod, Cebu), Arnold Vegafria (Olongapo, Zambales), and Bobet Vidanes (Pililia, Rizal) as mayor;
Monsour Del Rosario (Makati), Angelika Dela Cruz (Malabon), Anjo Yllana (Calamba, Laguna), and Yul Servo (Manila) as vice-mayor;
Ara Mina (Pasig City, 2nd District), Shamcey Supsup Lee (Pasig City, 1st District), Marjorie Barretto (Caloocan City, 1st District), Dennis Padilla Baldivia (Caloocan City, 2nd District), Enzo Pineda (Quezon City, 5th District), Ali Forbes (Quezon City, 4th District), Maria Isabel Viduya or Priscilla Almeda (Parañaque City, 1st District), Ryan Yllana (Parañaque City, 2nd District), Mocha Uson (Manila, 3rd District), Bong Alvarez (Manila, 3rd District), Neil Coleta (Dasmariñas, Cavite), and Aljur Abrenica (Angeles City, Pampanga).
Does this mean the end of the world for them? (Thanks for the list, Fernan Angeles, The Ph Insider Managing Editor.)
NO SINGULAR FORMULA
Never say die as long as the interest of the public comes before anything.Entertainers or not, famous or not, there’s no singular formula to success in any field where the welfare of oneself to serve other people are of prime importance.
What matters most about politicians is self-introspection for the betterment of society and the governed is being critical and vigilant about public servants, articulate or not, corrupt or morally upright.