Political Pop Idols

Political Pop Idols

by Dori Adviento

What was Manny thinking? I still can’t believe “Pacman” ran for Congress to represent General Santos City. I bet Manny Pacquiao was either brought to a typical politician’s mindset where it seems that there’s no satisfaction for money and fame or perhaps he was just not thinking at all. It can also be the case that his new peergroups, composed of government officials and other celebrities, decided for him. Thank God he lost and I hope he’ll realize that in the boxing arena is where he truly belongs, not in the political arena.

To the Philippine economy, money can definitely buy happiness. For years, we have been struggling to mold our country with financial stability. Sadly until now, signs of forwarding can’t be found. Because of this, people have become open to the unconventional and to idealism. Filipinos seem to crave for something new, something different. The people probably think that throwing off the old would mean eradicating the usual weak flow of our government, and that trying something new would give them a spirit of hope of improvement. This is why celebrities have suddenly entered into the world of politics. Attached to them are their appealing exteriors, showbiz backgrounds, familiar personalities and their big bank accounts. People seem to nod to all these, thinking that this might just work. People are blinded by the spotlights and glitters celebrities celebrities carry with them even when paving their way to politics. No how clueless they can be on governance and political issues, some still end up elected. A few managed to govern smoothly. Most were/are not successful. Well, is this really that “something new” our country needs?

When we are asked about the condition of the Philippine economy, we usually and automatically come up with “weak” or “poor” or any adjective synonymous to those. But have you thought about looking into the digits for a closer look on how bad it really is? I’ll show you some.

FDI(foreign direct investment) is a long-term investment by a foreign direct investor in an enterprise resident in an economy other than that in which the foreign direct investor is based. The FDI relationship, consists of a parent enterprise and a foreign affiliate which together form a transnational corporation (TNC). Six years ago, Thailand has received more than $20 billion in FDI, while the Philippines got $3.3 billion. If you think that’s a shame, wait till you see China’s. In 2004, our country received $9.1 billion from 2003’s $4.7 billion. I thought that was pretty good. But I immediately changed my mind when I saw China’s $153 billion for the year 2004. When it comes to GNP(gross national product), which is the sum of GDP(gross domestic product) produced within the country plus the net income received by residents from non-resident sources, we are still left behind. The land of the free boasts its $1,900 per capita gross national product, $900 more than the land of smoky mountains.

“As of 2003, less than one in 100 families belongs to the high-income class; about 20 are middle-income and 80 are low-income. And in a span of six years from 1997 to 2003, close to four families for every 100 middle-income families have been lost to the low income category.”

Former president and the newly executive-pardoned Joseph Estrada was the president from June 30, 1998 to January 20, 2001. During his reign, many middle-income families were “teleporting” to the low level. The gap between the high and low class was quickly lengthening. He was even known for the slogan “Erap Para Sa Mahirap”. How ironic. The appointment of celebrities to Philippine politics is one of the reasons for the country’s stagnant economic performance.

George W. Bush attended the prestigious Philips Andover Academy in Massachusetts before matriculating at Yale University. He graduated from Yale with a Bachelor’s degree in 1968, then returned to Texas and joined the Texas Air National Guard, where he learned to fly fighter jets. He eventually became a lieutenant, but was never called on to fight in Vietnam. In 1953, Che Guevara, a Latin American revolutionary leader graduated from the University of Buenos Aires, where he was trained as a doctor. Fidel Castro attended Jesuit schools and later studied law in Havana. During his student years, he was a political activist. Upon receiving his degree in 1950, he established a private law practice and joined the reformist Cuban People's Party. Vladimir Putin, elected president of the Russian Federation in 2000, earning a law degree in 1975. Yasser Arafat, Palestinian militant and politician entered the University of King Faud I in 1947 and studied engineering. By 1956, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and served as a second lieutenant in the Egyptian Army during the Suez Crisis. These leaders are considered as the world’s greatest in one article I’ve read. If you notice, all of them had excellent accomplishments in education, especially in law. Not one single celebrity politician is included. Why? Because the appointment of celebrities to politics shadows the significance of knowledge in governing and scholarliness as essential foundations of an exemplary government leader. It is one of the things that bridge them to their greatness.

The appointment of celebrities to politics tends to redirect the focus of genuine politics to unnecessary factors. Many celebrity-turned-politicians brought with them controversies, as if they were still in the acting industry. In 1997 while he was chairman of the Senate committee on illegal drugs, Vicente Sotto III and his aide were accused of harboring links with the drug lord Alfredo Tiongco, who is alleged to have financed the senator's 1992 campaign. Senator Ramon Revilla had few scandals such as the recent debacle over his failure to return an official Pajero he borrowed eight years ago from the borrowed eight years ago from the Department of Public Works and Highways, and his legislative support for the movie industry. Under the Estrada presidency, the Ombudsman filed three graft charges against Lito Lapid: the illegal collection of taxes from lahar quarrying, the alleged illegal purchase of real estate in San Fernando town, and Lapid's alleged failure to account for over Php2 million in cash advances. In November 1999, the Ombudsman meted Lapid a one-year suspension for the lahar quarrying case. Lapid took the case to the appellate court, but his appeal was thrown out. One of the earliest controversies involving Joey Marquez was the holding of the Michael Jackson concert in Parañaque. Sometime in 1997, the Ombudsman decided to file charges against Marquez for allowing — through a hastily approved town council resolution — the concert organizers to pay amusement taxes of only two percent of gross receipts, when internal revenue rules mandated 30 percent. A few years later, the Commission on Audit recommended the filing of graft charges against Marquez and other city officials before the Ombudsman, this time for malversation of city funds amounting to more than Php600 million. Marquez gained notoriety in 2002 for carrying on an affair with former presidential daughter and TV personality Kris Aquino even before his marriage to actress Alma Moreno was annulled. He denied allegations he intended to use the affair for a purported senatorial candidacy in 2004.

In one article I’ve read, it stated that the television era advantages celebrities because these individuals are “masters” at using the medium, are photogenic and are very good at attracting media coverage. They are perfectly matched for the contemporary political era because of their wealth and fundraising capacity. With skills up their sleeves, which pertain to being good in relating to the average person, political shrewdness, which is having a good street-sense and can effectively use his/her media skill to cover the fact that he/she can’t comprehend with policy issues, and ability to avoid the tabloid press, they can be successful politicians.

Politics and media should always be two separate and different businesses. If one has the looks, appeal and talent in acting or journalism, then he/she must belong to the media. In politics, it’s more on what you know regarding the laws, government and economy. That’s how it should be. Education should never be taken away as a requirement. Even those who are well-educated can be victims of manipulation. What more to those who aren’t. With the current state our country has, wealth and fundraising capacity are not enough for progress. We can’t afford more “Joey Marquez” and “Erap”-like officials who don’t take politics seriously. The government represents the country. Therefore, one must make it a point that if he/she will be or is a part of it, he/she must be able to take account that he/she will be or is a reflection of dignity and intelligence. For now, it seems that dishonesty and greed are what suits our country’s reputation, basing it on our official’s never-ending corruption and issues. Fame, glamour and excitement - If these are what Filipinos consider as their hope, then Philippines, both in numbers and in virtues, would remain as shallow as this.

To all celebrities wanna-be politicians: Why waste your time and money playing the dirty game of politics, if you can spend these by simply reaching out to the marginalized communities in our country? I can assure you all that this will be less of a headache and a guilt-free service.