‘#ProudToBeMe’

Netnet Camomot

 “GANDANG-GANDA sa sarili…”

No, this is not about Vice Ganda’s latest concert.

In one of the first scenes of the movie “You’re My Boss,” Georgina (Toni Gonzaga) is waiting for the red light to go green and, like any other social-media fan, takes this opportunity to check out her ex-boyfriend’s Instagram account. And through his posts, she discovers that he now has a new girlfriend who also has an Instagram account which Georgina, like any other curious ex-girlfriend, is immediately scanning. It’s the present girlfriend’s photos, most probably selfies, that prompt Georgina to say, “Gandang-ganda sa sarili.”

The same can be said of politicians who are detained or are accused of plunder but have still vowed to run in next year’s election: “Gandang-ganda sa sarili.” Kung sa English pa, The nerve!

The nerve of these people. Ordinary mortals would have coiled in shame, never to be seen in public again. But an allegedly corrupt politician is no longer an ordinary mortal.

Anyone facing allegations and accusations of plunder and graft and corruption cannot be considered anymore as an ordinary mortal. He has already “allegedly” stolen millions, even billions, from the national treasury. That already requires a massive lack of conscience and compassion, turning the brain, heart and soul into a conniving trio of “gandang-ganda sa sarili,” convincing him to believe that he’s a god whose actions, no matter how evil, are always for the good of the madlang pehpohl.

He may be earning from those actions through his 99-percent commission but at least one percent of a project goes to the madlang pehpohl. In his own trio of distorted connivers, that one percent is more than enough. And that alone is also enough to convince him that he does deserve another term as a public servant, so he can continue serving the general public that’s blinded by his celebrity status, by his woe-is-me-I’m-poor declarations and TV ads, by his assertions that the allegations against him are merely political in nature, his opponents’ way to stop him from running again.

People who are so “gandang-ganda sa sarili” leave no room for self-improvement. Or even for introspection. They believe they’re already way up there on the ladder of success and whatever they have accomplished through evil means is still “deserve na deserve.” They probably sing Billy Joel’s “Honesty” with a smirk: “Honesty is such a lonely word.”

There’s this thing called… No, not tadhana. There’s this called delicadeza. To me, that means decency. The decency to keep your hands off the national treasury. The decency to not run for office if there’s overwhelming evidence supporting the accusations against you.

And here’s one more: the decency to give up the dream of becoming the country’s president if your candidacy will only ensure the victory of the alleged plunderer. Look at the big picture. If the alleged plunderer wins, where will you be? At least if the president is friendly, you can continue serving the madlang pehpohl whose votes you covet and may look forward to in the next presidential election six years later.

Well, if the president will be the unfriendly plunderer–unfriendly to you, that is–you can morph into his worst critic. And we hope “worst” won’t refer to the sour grape but to the material you can then unleash against the unfriendly president. There’s much material already–you can start with the plunder allegations. Then you can sing, “Honesty is such a lonely word,” because by then, most politicians will be kissing his a** and he will be unfriendly only to you and his remaining perceived enemies.

In a TV interview on “Mornings@ANC,”  Pinky Webb asked one of Mr. Frozen’s children, the congresswoman, if her family would forgive in case he wins as president. Webb was referring to forgiveness for the people who are accusing them and filing cases against them now. The congresswoman daughter replied, “Ako, hindi… No… Mahirap kaming magpatawad… Hindi kami vindictive pero hindi rin kami madaling magpatawad… Matagal kaming magpatawad pero hindi kami yung tipong, Dudurugin kita hanggang sa ano… That mentality na sisiguraduhin ko na hindi ka makakabangon…”

His congresswoman daughter described this episode in their life as the “worst mudslinging and black propaganda that they have already done to our family… This is the worst that our family has had to go through… Kaya mahirap kaming magpatawad…”

In last week’s “AdVice Ganda” segment of “Showtime,” Vice Ganda removed his makeup, false eyelashes, contact lenses, and hair extension to show a guest, who was seeking his advice–that’s the essence of the segment–on how to deal with people who were bullying her about her looks. He said, “Pakikitaan kita kung paano ipagmalaki ang sarili, hindi matakot tanggapin ang sarili mo nang hindi ka natatakot sa panghuhusga ng mga tao… Sa TV parang ang kinis ko ‘di ba, pero ang kapal ng make-up ko.”

“Ito ang mukha ko. Ito si Vice Ganda.”

He then said, “Ngayon, picture-an n’yo akong lahat. Ikalat n’yo sa Internet. Pagtawanan n’yo ako, laitin n’yo ako, sabihin n’yo lahat ng gusto n’yong sabihin. Wala akong pakialam. Dahil kahit magaspang ang mukha ko, mataas ang hairline ko, maganda ako.” After that, he posted a photo of him sans makeup and hair extensions on his Instagram account and captioned it with, “#ProudToBeMe.”

Once upon a time, Vice was criticized for making Jessica Soho the main star of a rape joke in his concert: “Ang hirap nga lang kung si Jessica Soho magbo-bold. Kailangan gangape lagi. Sasabihin ng rapist, ‘Ipasa ang lechon.’ Sasabihin naman ni Jessica, ‘Eh nasaan yung apple?'”