Whose election frame will dominate?
November 17th, 2009 by Manuel BuencaminoSlander cannot destroy an honest man—when the flood recedes the rock is there.—Chinese proverb
Pulse Asia just released its latest nationwide survey on the top choices for president. Noynoy Aquino is at 44 percent while Manuel Villar, Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Joseph Estrada are at 19, 13 and 11 percent, respectively. That makes the 2009 election a race for second place.
But that’s only true if honesty and an unblemished reputation remains the horse to ride.
Pulse Asia asked their respondents why they were voting for a particular candidate. The five top reasons cited were: “Hindi kurakot/malinis” (Does not steal/is clean) (21.2 percent); “May nagawa, may magagawa” (Has done a lot/can do a lot) (14 percent); “Para sa mahirap, galing sa mahirap” (Pro-poor/comes from the poor) (12.2 percent); “Tumutulong” (Helps a lot) (12 percent); “Reputasyon ng pamilya” (Family reputation) (4.2 percent).
Looking into the components of each of those five reasons will show why the election frame is still up for grabs.
The first and fifth reasons belong to Noynoy Aquino, obviously.
The second reason,“May nagawa, may magagawa,” belongs to padrino (patron) politicos—Disaster relief (2.7 percent); Other accomplishments (6.1 percent); Nagbigay ng pabahay (Provided housing) (4.9 percent) and one other at 0.4 percent.
The third reason, “Para sa mahirap, galing sa mahirap,” is also padrino (patronage) politics—“Matulungin sa mahirap” (Helpful to the poor) (7.8 percent); “Makamahirap/pagtingin sa mahirap” (Pro-poor) (3.7 percent) and “galing sa mahirap” (Came from poverty) (0.7 percent)
The fourth reason, “Tumutulong,” is still about padrino—“Tumutulong sa OFW” (Helps overseas Filipino workers) (6.6 percent) and “Matulungin” (Helpful) (5.4 percent).
So it seems that the way to defeat Noynoy is to change the election frame from a question of character to a contest of who is the best padrino, regardless of record and reputation.
I think the Villar and Estrada camps realize that. That’s why there is a concerted campaign to knock Noynoy off his white horse.
Estrada does not attack Noynoy directly but his campaign manager, writing an article in a newspaper closely associated with him, started a rumor that was picked up by the slimiest practitioners of jukebox journalism.
As for the ethically challenged Villar, his statement that all candidates were the same was followed with an exposé by one of his loyal lieutenants.
Rep. Crispin “Boying” Remulla alleged that Noynoy Aquino got the SCTEx (Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway) rerouted for his family’s benefit. He added that Noynoy’s family overpriced their land. In short, Noynoy was no different from Villar.
SCTEx was a road project between Estrada and the Japanese government. It started during Estrada’s term and was completed under the Arroyo administration. Noynoy had no hand in it.
The difference between the non-role of Noynoy in SCTEx and Villar’s hand in the cookie jar in C-5 is black and white.
The rerouting of C-5 and the overpricing of Villar’s landholdings happened while Villar was chairman of the Senate finance committee. Note that in fairness to Villar, I used “while” instead of “because.”
Noynoy neither had the political power nor the gall to do to SCTEx what Villar did to C5.
Most important of all, Noynoy, unlike Villar, will not run away from an ethics investigation. He is not afraid to testify under oath. He has nothing to hide, nothing to lie about.
The strategy of those lagging behind Noynoy is to run gimmicks and political ads selling themselves as the patron saints of the poor while spreading black lies about Noynoy, his mother and their relatives.
The American journalist Jimmy Breslin once described political campaigns as a season of “speeches and slander, of lies and libel, of life without a conscience.”
The laggards have oodles of money to finance the sort of propaganda that would do Joseph Goebbels proud.
So the question is, what will win the people’s trust and confidence this time around: the politics of honesty and cleanliness, or the politics of patronage and slander?
November 18, 2009 at 1:24 am
That really is NoyNoy’s problem, isn’t it? That when
people review and analyze his years of public service,
the conclusion becomes “NoyNoy can’t get things done”.
But as MLQ3 had posted, the time for candidates to provide
their platforms is NOT here yet.
November 18, 2009 at 2:16 am
Again, I dont trust election surveys. They are made by people who
can be corrupted. Then, give the desired results for any paying
candidate. Noynoy Aquino must answer and clarify the issues raised against him and his family. To resolve the Hacienda Luisita issues now will be a plus for him.
Not unlike Villar. Who just keep silent about the C5 issues being raised against him. Using Senators to absolve him. We dont trust any of those Senators. Most are political opportunists. Silence from him means to us. You refuse to answer our questions. You are either hiding something. Or we voters are unimportant for a satifactory answer. If you want our votes. You have to give us satisfactory answers. Remember, we are not fools. Some of us are more intelligent
than you and your PR people.
November 18, 2009 at 5:56 am
Recently a cable news company moved to buy out NBC a major broadcast network in the U.S.
A major shjft is happening in the way media will operate in the long run. The algorithm based economy will affect almost every sector of the political economy going forward in the more advanced societies.
Meanwhile here in a place where the new media prospers in a backward society there are those who postulate that the Philippines is about ready for meaningful change in the way it chooses its representatives.
I sincerely doubt that.
Will ABS-CBN be able to dominate the narrative for the Aquino-Roxas tandem? Or will the deep war chest of Villar be able to counter the attempt by some to control the same.
There are just too many variables going forward while the vast majority of people are looking to maintain the three square meals a day they require.
The political economy of the country has excluded the vast majority of the people from participating in the formal economy of this country relegating them to the margins and only moving to address them every time election season comes along.
Nothing new is being offered by anyone. When people get to see the candidates when the formal season starts the narrative had better match the guy. I know someone (must be others) who has been tasked to prepare Aquino for gladiatorial combat for the upcoming debates ahead.
The games have not yet started. The opposition will be running probably two to three horses. Villar, Aquino and Estrada. Do not underestimate the government’s bet.
November 18, 2009 at 6:04 am
Stars election (sElection) frame*:
kris, sharon, vilma et al…
edu and pinky…
erap…
willie, loren, noli**
…and soon to be…
manny “pacman” pacquiao???
—–
oh, how i love the look on manny’s (both manny’s) face when freddie got irked…
Freddie threatens to quit over Manny’s meeting with Manny
—–
*feel free to add more the unmentioned personalities
**igan’s rumor of a Php1B take for not running…apparently, the matching 1B rumor for willie…of course, rumor on loren’s take isn’t gonna lag behind 1B…
November 18, 2009 at 6:24 am
well, pretty sure we know who’s really vying and…
who’re buying.
November 18, 2009 at 11:59 am
this piece which also appears in a major daily should have come with a disclosure.
it is very clear that it was written in such a way that the reader will “see” that noynoy is the better choice. presenting it as a choice between the politics of “honesty and cleanliness” and the politics of “patronage and slander” is a brilliant work in pr writing.
the author wrote:
“So it seems that the way to defeat Noynoy is to change the election frame from a question of character to a contest of who is the best padrino, regardless of record and reputation.”
can you spell S-L-A-N-T?
are there no other choices? what about legitimate calls for more depth and susbstance instead of mere image-building gimmickry? politics of honesty and cleanliness? i’d much prefer politics of honesty, cleanliness, competence, careful planning etc. etc.
thankfully, more and more people are beginning to see through all this hype about noynoy’s “honesty” as nothing more than crap. so what if noynoy is honest anyway? it doesn’t really matter if he that’s all he is. noynoy, his handlers and his paid hacks should instead start giving the voting public a chance to scrutinize his plans for the country.
i would really hate to see another “honest” yet incompetent person in malacanang. in the first place, is there really such an animal as an “incorruptible politician?”
November 18, 2009 at 1:55 pm
BP,
Thank you for calling my article a brilliant work in pr writing.
I too would like an honest and competent candidate. And we are lucky that all the candidates are competent. Unfortunately only one has both qualities.
November 18, 2009 at 2:41 pm
(this is a repost. my connection is loopy)
if you’re referring to noynoy, you’re clearly mistaken. noynoy has provided us no proof whatsoever that he is competent nor has he given us any idea of how exactly he plans to govern and address various issues.
there’s simply no way your claim that he is competent can be taken as fact right now.
November 18, 2009 at 3:46 pm
BP
then prove your claim that he is not.
November 18, 2009 at 6:33 pm
eh? the burden of proving noynoy’s competence is on him. but since you seem to know something not known to all perhaps you’d also like to take up the challenge.
i’m just a voter who just wants to be provided with relevant information. i need not prove anything. : )
November 18, 2009 at 6:53 pm
(in my haste a whole chunk of words was deleted. here’s the complete comment)
eh? i don’t have to prove anything unlike noynoy’s fans who seem all too eager to prove all sorts of things (both real and imagined) about noynoy. i don’t know but as far as i know the burden of proving noynoy’s competence is on him. but since you seem to know something not known to all perhaps you’d also like to take up the challenge.
i’m just a voter who just wants to be provided with relevant information. i need not prove anything. : )
November 18, 2009 at 9:44 pm
BP,
I’ve written on his legislative record, there are also official records out there. Do your own research. Don’t wait to be spoon fed.
Still you bandy claims that Noynoy is not competent.
Hey you made the claim. Prove it.
November 18, 2009 at 10:14 pm
yay for spoon feeding!
November 18, 2009 at 10:15 pm
i don’t think so. i’m just a voter. but even if i did — which i may already have — i’m still inclined to say that noynoy hasn’t done much. you can try to prove otherwise but i’d rather see noynoy’s platform (that goes for the other candidates too).
his legislative record? not really convincing, is it?
November 18, 2009 at 10:24 pm
BP,
Noynoy’s platform is coming out soon. AbanganQ
Villar;s platform?
“Lahat kami iyan lang ang sasabihin.Lahat ng kandidato sasabihin iyan.We will say the same things…we will have the SAME PLATFORM. For after all, a platform… dadalawang speechwriters lang iyan tatanungin ka.Anong gusto ninyo, 3-point agenda , 10 point agenda 15 point agenda o 25 point agenda.” -Manny Villar
So I guess his platform will be available as soon as he tells his speechwriters whether to write a 3, 10 or 25 point agenda.
November 18, 2009 at 10:27 pm
BP
Gibo’s platform is still waiting for Gloria’s approval.
And Erap’s platform was ready for publication pero nabuhusan ng alak kaya you have to wait until it dries out.
November 18, 2009 at 10:29 pm
the nashman,
spoonfeeding? what’s there to feed?
November 18, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Do I begin to hear what had been historically read as writings on the wall?
Remember the underhanded slogan – “walang alam” – is this where the arrow is pointing to? Just asking
November 18, 2009 at 1:58 pm
primer,
i think it will be a close race between bayani, ebdane, perlas, and the kapatiran candidate. I hope your man beats them
November 18, 2009 at 7:16 pm
senador ni Gibo na lang daw ang tatakbuhin ng manok ni Primer.
November 18, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Bert,
Ano? Eh pang presidente yan si Bayani tulad ni ebdane, perlas at kapatiran. At oo mga pala ni brother eddie din
November 19, 2009 at 12:03 am
don’t forget Jamby.
Jamby hasn’t withdrawn yet.
Itago niyo na mga mana niyo.
November 19, 2009 at 2:46 am
buencamino,
how does noynoy plan to fix the economy? protectionism (which favors the oligarchy) or pro-investor (including foreign ones), pro-business policies which can rapidly create jobs?
how does noynoy plan to stem the problem of too many pinoys working abroad in degrading jobs? outright banning OFW deployment or fixing the economy?
how does noynoy plan to fix the agrarian reform program? ignore it altogether? grudgingly implement it? or advocate rapid foreign-investor based industrialization so as to attract farmhands to move to industrial jobs away from farms and depopulate the farmlands thereby creating a need for hacenderos to mechanize their farming techniques?
what is noynoy’s stance on the english language? promote english to allow less disparity between rich (who use it well and have more opportunities for self-development because of it) or promote tagalog – thereby causing poor people to be stuck with a dead-end language while the rich continue to use english among themselves where the objective advantage lies?
what is noynoy’s stand on the current form of government? does he continue to prefer the status-quo which promotes personality over platform/issues? or does he think shifting to a parliamentary system where parties are more important than personalities and leads to greater focus on platforms as a means of differentiating parties?
what is noynoy’s stand on federalism? does he prefer the status quo of a centralized manila-centric state? or does he recognize the need to autonomize the various regions so that they can better control their own destiny as far as economics and local cultures are concerned?
what is noynoy’s stand on divorce? does he recognize that the ban on divorce is purely a catholic stand, but that protestants and muslims have no such ban and therefore are entitled to it since the philippines is a secular state?
what is noynoy’s stand on foreign ownership of land?
what is noynoy’s stand on cultivating ties with countries other than the USA, such as China, India, Russia, and countries in Latin America? Does he plan to continue the Philippines imagined role of being America’s stooge, or does he see merit in making special relations with other countries from whom the Philippines may actually learn from and/or trade with or benefit from?
does noynoy agree that fixing the economy can reduce and eventually eliminate corruption?
does noynoy agree that democracy in a country where people are too poor and too under-educated (or uneducated) means a ineffectual democracy or a useless democracy? or does he blindly believe in democracy for democracy’s sake?
does noynoy realize that his own father ninoy was not a pure democrat and that his father, ninoy, was a huge fan of autocrats like park chung hee of korea, lee kuan yew of singapore and mahathir mohamad of malaysia? does noynoy even read his own father’s quotes and notes?
does noynoy realize that the only reason that marcos was opposed by his own father ninoy is that marcos, rather than choosing a more viable economic policy of massively inviting foreign investors (the way Singapore did), chose to stick to golfing buddies and drinking buddies who didn’t know squat about running companies and were very likely to waste resources and create useless duds?
does noynoy agree that smoking is bad? he’s a chain smoker of menthol cigs… ;)
how do we know what noynoy stands for if we don’t see anything resembling a platform from him?
surely, if we are going to choose him over others, we should at least know what it is he stands for, right?
why no platform yet, buencamino?
can you please demand one from him?
November 20, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Real Deal,
EVERY candidate should be fronted with a list of questions like that, edited to hit his/her specific vulnerabilities, too. I suggest you propose a program to ABS-CBN, ala “Larry King Live”. Grill ‘em all. End this poppycock love-fest and soft-soled interviewing that is done now. I’d love to hear the answers, and see the body language.
Joe
November 23, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Real Deal,
Your bias is showing. Where are the platforms of ALL the candidates?
November 23, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Real Deal.
WHERE is the platform of your candidate?
November 19, 2009 at 4:52 am
I fear Noynoy’s backers don’t do him any favors with a television commercial that shows him parading with a bunch of people holding candles, as if he were Jesus hisself heading for the hill of holy ordination, posturing in a really unflattering closing leer. Ooops smile.
How about something crisp and substantive instead?
Truly, this is a surreal event, these early posturings from all the candidates, a lack of sanity, a lack of honesty, a lack of care, the distortions are so great.
Joe
November 20, 2009 at 1:30 am
Joe,
You are not the target audience of that commercial. Neither am I.
It was an emotional appeal by some of the country’s most trusted people. They wouldn’t be sought after product endorsers if they didn’t enjoy a high level of trust.
Anyway, feedback on the commercial showed it worked very well for the intended market. But not for cold analytical minds.
The candidates will come up with the substance shortly as there is a no campaigning allowed between December and February. This is the time frame to introduce platform and action programs. People can evaluate these at this time.
Come February expect all candidates to go full blast on commercials with a lot of emotional appeal because as you and I know people vote with their hearts not their minds. It’s not what we thinking people like but that’s just the way it is.
Recall It’s Morning in America or the 911 fear campaign of Bush or Obama’s change. All those ads were targeted to emotions and hopes because a platform is a difficult thing to explain in 30 or 60-second bursts.
November 20, 2009 at 5:00 am
Manuelbuencamino,
Yes, okay, okay, good points. Well, except for the sly innuendo that my mind is cold and analytical. It is quite mushy most of the time, kind even, with the analytical power of an aging and confused social rebel who long ago began to substitute original thought for fact, as it is much easier to patch together seemingly coherent ideas than gather any real information.
Thanks for the enlightened perspectives. I shall await the real campaign.
Joe
November 24, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Joe,
I am included among the cold and analytical since i was not the target audience for the video
November 20, 2009 at 5:27 am
As surreal as a Joseph Goebbel’s ad.
November 20, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Those of you who seem to poke fun at Bayani Fernando probably just don’t know from where they speak.
From the point of view of public administration and governance, no other model could equal much less approximate that of BF in terms of efficiency and effectiveness.
The sarcastic note set forth by the comment of one manuel buencamino betrays full grounded knowledge in the area of governmental policy.
November 21, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Platform of presidential candidate Benigno Aquino III?
Hhhhmmm, overheard in a coffee shop:
‘Ninoy, hindi ka nag-iisa.’
‘Noynoy, hindi ka nag-iisip.’
Many people I talked to are not convinced that INTEGRITY, his parents’ (?) actually, would do it for the guy.
The top seven qualities of a GREAT leader:
1. Vision
2. Integrity
3. Dedication
4. Fairness
5. Assertiveness
6. Creativity
7. Intelligence
November 23, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Phil Manila,
WHERE is the PLATFORM of YOUR cabdidate?