Sorting out the campaign

Netnet Camomot .

NO, today is not the first day of the campaign period for Pinas’ Election Day. Today is April Fools’ Day. But then, the Pinoy can always ask, What’s the diff?

In case you thought that the campaign period for local candidates began on Feb. 12, it’s actually on March 29. Feb. 12 was for the senatoriables and party-list groups. But the local candidates could always campaign for their senatoriables, thus, it did seem like Feb. 12 was Day One of campaign sorties for both the local and national candidates. Confusing!

Campaigning is prohibited on Maundy Thursday (April 18), Good Friday (April 19), May 12, and, of course, on Election Day May 13.

The prohibition for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday proves how Catholic Pinas is. As for campaigning on May 12 and 13, that’s like cramming for an exam—“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” as the saying goes.

A campaign sortie can be a showcase of the candidates’ talents, from singing to dancing to skits, with a dash of plataporma. Let’s again quote senatoriable Bato dela Rosa’s reply in an interview with CNN Philippines’ “The Source” earlier this month: “Mag-prangkahan tayo. ‘Yung mga tao na ‘yan, pupunta diyan purposely ba para lang makinig ng issues? I don’t think so. Ang mga tao na ‘yan pumupunta diyan para sumaya. Kung mapatawa ‘yung tao diyan, gagaan na ‘yung loob sa ‘yo.”

“After niyan, kung madami ka nang platapormang sinasabi, kung ano gagawin na batas, sasabihin, ‘Ah, nambobola itong pulitikong ito. Wala ito. Puro ito salita, walang gawa,’” he added.

But no need for dela Rosa to speak about his plataporma since it could still be the war on drugs.

Last week, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said that 31 celebrities are allegedly using or selling illegal drugs. This is another narcolist in the making. Let’s see—pronounced as that Spanish word for milk—if President Rody Duterte will reveal that list once PDEA has validated it.

The list that the Pinoy voter should prepare, though, is his list of favorite candidates since a kodigo is allowed inside voting precincts and polling places on Election Day. Will that list be a mix-and-match of candidates of all political parties or will he vote straight?

If he’s an environmentalist, he will surely not vote for the candidate whose posters and tarpaulins are nailed or hanged on trees. If he loves red, he will vote for senatoriable and Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos who has been wearing red in her campaign sorties. If he has a sense of rumor, he will vote for senatoriable Bong Go whose skits with Phillip Salvador had used, misused, and abused the latter’s past relationship with Kris Aquino.

By the way, Kris is still at war with Nicko Falcis. So, take your pick—their war, or the war on drugs. Gretchen Barretto continues to comment on the Kris-Nicko war, and the more interesting chika from her was this: “You do something to me today, hindi ako magre-react ngayon. I may react many years later.” In case that’s not enough to convince you on the reason behind Greta’s support for Falcis, here’s more from her: “Kris is powerless. This is the time I feel like I can react because for the longest time, she had the power and she did everything that she wanted.”

“With great power comes great responsibility” is the oft-quoted line from “Spider-Man.” But when it comes to Barretto’s silence at the height of Kris’ powerful power once upon a time, it should be, With Kris’ great power comes great responsibility for her detractors to shut up or else.

Kris’ non-fans have probably said she’s now a has-been. And there’s her fan saying, But she’s in “Crazy Rich Asians”!

Fans tend to see only the good side of their idol. And there’s, of course, that good side, otherwise, the idol won’t have fans.

Celebrities and politicians are familiar with the applause and adulation which may go pfft once their popularity and relevance begin to wane. Is that the reason why political dynasties exist, because they can’t let go of their power? I guess they have not seen the meme that says, “Let him go. If he comes back, he’s yours. If he doesn’t, he never was.” Or how about this: “Do not tell someone about your good side to make them stay. Tell them your worst side and see who stays.”

The voter’s goal for now can be as simple as letting go of his fats, letting go of his bad eating habits, and letting go of people, things, and situations that don’t spark joy a la the KonMari method of spring cleaning.

The political candidate, however, cannot afford to let go of anyone that doesn’t spark joy because he needs all the help he can get. And, so, he has a team that helps him put up his tarpaulins and posters—if only they can follow the Commission on Elections’ rules and regulations for campaign ads, then, everything will be A-OK. When the candidate’s team is obeying the rules, he can now smile, post for selfies, sing-dance-act, and promise to do his duty for God and country.

The traffic in downtown Cagayan de Oro that began last Friday could be due to the campaign rallies and motorcades, and the schools’ graduation ceremonies. Whatever the cause behind the traffic, there was the Cagayanon uptowner who decided to join SM uptown’s weekend sale instead of going to SM downtown—anything to get his mind off politics.