Jillian and her toga

TAYLOR Swift was the commencement speaker at the New York University graduation ceremony where VP Leni’s daughter Jillian was one of the graduates.

But here in Pinas, the Kakampinks were more focused on VP Leni than Swift: VP Leni ironing Jillian’s toga, VP Leni helping Jillian prepare for the ceremony, VP Leni having selfies and photos ops in NYC with Jillian, Tricia, and Aika.

After all the campaign promises that political candidates made, it’s refreshing to listen to Swift and her commencement speech:

“I never got to have a normal college experience, per se. I went to public high school until 10th grade and then finished my education doing homeschool work on the floors of airport terminals. Then I went out on the road for a radio tour—which sounds incredibly glamorous, but in reality, it consisted of a rental car, motels, and my mom and I pretending to have loud mother-daughter fights with each other during boarding so no one would want the empty seat between us on Southwest.

“Decide what is yours to hold and let the rest go. Oftentimes, the good things in your life are lighter anyway. So there’s more room for them. One toxic relationship can outweigh so many, wonderful simple joys. You get to pick what your life has time and room for. Be discerning.

“…I’m a big advocate for not hiding your enthusiasm for things.

“I have some good news: It’s totally up to you. I have some terrifying news: It’s totally up to you.”

While the red fans and Kakampinks are still stuck with the May 9 election results, BBM and VP Leni have already moved on, respectively, to Australia for his much-needed R&R and to New York for her daughter’s college graduation.

But the chika was this: the red team’s victory party at Amanpulo.

Amanpulo is one of the most expensive resorts in Pinas, depending on your definition of “expensive.” That’s where the rich and famous and even infamous savor the therapeutic and calming effects of sun, sea, and sand.

Since Amanpulo makes the Pinoy hyperventilate with “Sanaol” comments as ka-ching peso signs float around his eyeballs, the red team immediately dismissed the chika about their victory party venue as fake news.

It’s easy to imagine BBM and his team choosing Amanpulo for their celebration. They’re all rich and famous and perhaps infamous if you’re a believer in the Marcoses’ alleged ill-gotten wealth, which to the Dilawan, er, Kakampinks sounds like “guilty beyond a reasonable doubt” and not simply “alleged.”

Those who voted for Yorme Isko Moreno, Sen. Manny Pacquiao, Sen. Ping Lacson, and the other presidential candidates are now eating popcorn while watching the war between the red and pink teams. Kebs. “Anong paki mo sa long hair ko / Anong paki mo hindi ito sa ‘yo.” Haha.

Well, it was Pinoy’s pakialam that led to People Power and forced the Marcoses to flee to Hawaii in February 1986. And the Pinoy can only hope that this part in Pinas’s history won’t be changed in 1986, the Marcoses went to Hawaii for a five-year R&R after Ferdinand Sr. lost in the rigged snap presidential election.

Palawan is beautiful. Aside from Amanpulo, it has El Nido, Coron, and Puerto Princesa’s tourist spots which include the Underground River. The wise foreigner who has only two weeks to spend in Pinas should go straight to Palawan and stay there for the whole duration of his vacation.

So, yes, it’s understandable for the red team to choose Amanpulo as their victory-party venue. But with all the ill-gotten-wealth allegations against them, they’re better off with Ilocos Norte and Leyte. Keep it simple and sweet or KISS, which could be the word that they’re now familiar with as the Pinoy who wants to be a part of the red team starts to kiss their a**.

Another fake news was the red team’s victory party at Solaire. But the venue for that particular party was actually BBM’s campaign headquarters.

With all the fake news and bashing that their fans have been hurling at each other, BBM and VP Leni may have to listen to Swift’s thoughts of wisdom, too: “I leave you with this: We are led by our gut instincts, our intuition, our desires and fears, our scars and our dreams. And you will screw it up sometimes. So will I. And when I do, you will most likely read about it on the internet.”