They say that “curiosity kills a cat”. Well, the thing is, I’m not a cat. If I am any kind of animal, I’d probably be a snake of some kind, perhaps a sidewinder. Anyway, after watching Mar Roxas’ campaign video called “Fast Forward” and reading Benign0’s article about it, I somehow found myself still alive. Unfortunately, after watching all of it (I don’t know how I actually managed it though) I am wishing I didn’t. Really, I actually regret watching the whole 4-minute video more than I regret watching the entirety of the first Human Centipede film. In fact, maybe I’ll just watch the whole Human Centipede trilogy just to get the details of Mar Roxas’ “Fast Forward” campaign video out of my head.
However, while the details remain fresh in my mind, I think I’ll go on with my rant before I apply a considerable amount of brain bleach to my poor, poor brain. Anyway, it’s pretty much well-known that “Fast Forward” was widely disliked on Youtube and that comments have been disable due to the fact that it garnered so much negative reaction. To be honest, I wasn’t actually expecting that kind of reaction considering the kind of media back-up Mar Roxas has available to him. However, after watching the video myself, I can see why it was so widely hated by Filipinos.
| SUPPORT INDEPENDENT SOCIAL COMMENTARY! Subscribe to our Substack community GRP Insider to receive by email our in-depth free weekly newsletter. Opt into a paid subscription and you'll get premium insider briefs and insights from us. Subscribe to our Substack newsletter, GRP Insider! Learn more |
Here are my five points:
It’s Biased
Well, what can we expect from the Liberal Party?
However, I feel a need to explain further. The problem with a considerable portion of the video is that they show only the pleasant aspects of Filipino society (which is more or less illusory anyway) without showing the much darker and much more important issues that besiege us as a nation. They have shown no sign or mention of the shambled and rickety houses that dominate much of the capital, the hellish traffic in its streets and roads, the poor and destitute that litter the cityscape, the devastated victims of Yolanda who are still in need of help even after more than two years to the victims of terrorists like the families of the SAF 44 and the now displaced Lumads.
The entire video was just a parade of pretty faces, most of whom are from the same station that constantly displays President Aquino’s abstract “achievements” and nothing much else. Well, there’s no real problem with pretty faces to be honest, but where is the common Filipino in all of this? What about the relief and rebuilding efforts for the people of Tacloban? What about the Lumads who have been driven from their home for fear of death? What about Mindanao and the constant threat of terrorism in those parts? Don’t the people of Tacloban, the Lumads and the peaceful people of Mindanao deserve the same kind of happiness the people in the video do?
It’s Delusional
Okay, suppose I believe what the video promises, this is what I want to ask: “How?”
Time and again, President Aquino has been very vocal about his “Tuwid na Daan” (Straight Path) and its alleged “achievements”. Unfortunately, as I have mentioned before in a previous article, where has “Tuwid na Daan” actually taken us? They say that the economy has somehow improved but, one has to wonder, what good did it actually do? Did the economic improvements somehow provide a means to rebuild and revitalize Tacloban and other places damaged by natural disasters? Did said economic improvements promise better opportunities for our countrymen, thus ending the need for working overseas?
The video felt more like the ending of a typical Pantaserye with everyone living happily ever after than a realistic effort at a political campaign. It offers no explanation on how changes will actually be made on the country and how we can actually become the utopian society shown on the video. It’s like they’re trying to imply that we have to put up with their crap because it’s their crappy system that will make the Philippines a paradise.
It’s Inclusive
Okay, in the whole video (you guys are welcome to correct me if I’m wrong), the only people I saw who didn’t seem like rich or popular were that one guy selling ice cream and a few of the construction workers with Ramon Bautista. The thing is, while they did include at least a few average looking Filipinos, they’ve shown too little of them. Remember the painting of Pope Francis with the celebrities as the common people which Kate Natividad here writes about? Well, the video is actually very similar to the painting in certain ways.
Really, it’s as if the video is implying that celebrities and other well-to-do people are the only real citizens of the Philippines. And even then, it’s almost implying that it’s only the celebrities and well-to-do people supporting the Aquino administration that are recognized as “people of the Philippines”. As Benign0 said in his article, the whole video is dominated by the LP’s color (yellow) and hand sign (loser) instead of the Filipino flag or other symbols of the Filipinos.
Considering all the LP’s symbols in the video, is the LP perhaps implying that they and their supporters are the only people worthy of being called “Filipinos”? Worst of all, considering that it’s a “Fast Forward” of Tuwid na Daan, does it mean that only those who support the LP will be the only people left in the Philippines?
I shudder when considering the answer to those questions…
It’s Racist
To be honest, I don’t like playing the race card as I find it below the idea of “fair play” these days. Unfortunately, with everything I’ve seen in the video, there’s really no other way to define its contents. Look, if it’s any comfort to any of you, I’m not calling the people who made the video “racists” for silly reasons, okay?
The thing is, the whole video revolves around celebrities who are clearly not Filipino. They are either half-(insert non-Filipino nationality here) or have spent much of their lives abroad. All in all, they look nothing like the common Filipino (most of whom are simply reduced to background characters) whom the video is supposed to appeal to.
Now, I have nothing against mixed race people (I pretty much grew up in an American household myself), however I think it’s more than a little insulting to common Filipinos to center the video on individuals who are not entirely Filipinos. I would actually have been more impressed if, say, it was Ramon Bautista, Andrew E. or Eugene Domingo who were the center of the video as they are the perfect example of what an ordinary Filipino looks like. By centering the video on dual citizens like Billy Crawford and Kris Lawrence, it’s like the producers were implying that we should be beholden to them because their foreign blood makes them superior, similar to the way a lot of teleseryes seem to be implying that dark skin is an ugly trait. It would’ve been less racist if the video at least included a full-blooded and average-looking Filipino among the central group.
It’s “Baduy”
Well, this is actually irrelevant, I can admit to that, but it’s still worth mentioning. The video constantly spams the color yellow and the loser hand sign at just about every scene as if trying to imply that they symbolize something great or noteworthy. Well, sorry to say, in a lot of cultures, yellow signifies cowardice and the “L” hand sign signifies loser.
When I shared the video to some of my foreign friends (most of whom were American), they actually asked if the video was some kind of joke. When I said that the people in the video were the current ruling political party in the Philippines, they wanted to laugh but couldn’t because they were afraid they would offend me. Since they did not understand the language, they thought that the video was a “self-deprecating joke” that implied that everyone in it were both cowards and losers.
***
My computer has finally finished downloading the Human Centipede trilogy and my bottle of whisky is ready for consumption…
That’s all for now and I’ll be seeing you all on the other side!
I HAVE RETURNED TO LAY WASTE TO OUR ENEMIES!
I’ve watched it just now and I honestly think ABS-CBN should have made it their official Christmas station ID 🙂 This whole yellow bullshit makes me want to throw up. Desperate politicians, celebrities, the media – they are all part of this long-standing political circus in the Philippines. Unless the Filipinos wake up and finally learn to distinguish reality from delusion, this country is forever doomed!
Keeping it 100 here.
So what do you propose then, Instead of actually complaining mindlessly like the very Filipinos you decry about for so long in this site?
Voting for Mar Roxas? Subscribing to crap television? Not even waiting to pocket their used candy wrappers and reuse water bottles instead of throwing them at where they please? Depend on their religion to “guide” the leaders on the “right path?” Unless you tell people to vote for Miriam, or Rudy, or stop bitching about ineffective leaders when we ourselves vote the very leaders that put us in this predicament in the FIRST PLACE, or even worse be hypocritical about wanting change but we won’t change one bit!
Hey, I CHANGED a long time ago and I make sure to dispose of my trash properly. The latter is quite possibly a small but very helpful way to care for the environment. Besides, isn’t it obvious that I’m a Miriam supporter.
I agree with you sir..Mga artista…di naman libre laki kaya ng bayad…gusto ninyo ng supurta galing sa masa pakita ninyo kung ano ba ang plano ninyo sa masa…mayayaamn yang mga yan…ginagamit binabayaran lang yan to convince the masses to support Mar…but i would endorse not to support him…di naman makapalag yang mga artista na yan…otherwise they will loose their jon ib abias-cbn…the mangement itself is for mar roxas..what can you expect..daming tao na naghihirap..dpit ayn ang bigyan nila nang halaga…ano ba ginawa nila sa yolanda…oo sa yong bagyo na duaman sa luzon andon siya pero resign na si mar bakit siya pa ang nagdistribute ng mga goods di na siya DILG secretarty..kinocover pa ng Abias -CBN…
The “Song and Dance” video of Mar Roxas, promised, a “New dawn of tomorrow”, if you elect Mar Roxas, as President.
Did Mar Roxas served in various government positions? What did he accomplished?
He was playing politics, in the middle of the sufferings of the people of Tacloban, Leyte.
He called the Mamapasano 44 SAF heroes murders: a “MISENCOUNTER”.
He supports the BBL Law, that will make the Philippines, another Lebanon, Iraq or Syria.
He promised to finance the MILF/ISIS/Al Queda in Mindanao.
He is the foremost ,”Ass Kisser” of that imbecile Aquino, who happens to be President.
He has no agendas to solve our problems and to proper our country.
His only political agenda is himself, and his being elected as President, by Hook or by Crook.
He is accountable on the disappearance of the Typhoon Yolanda Relief funds. Where is the missing relief fund, Mr. Mar Roxas?
I must have watched 20 or 30 seconds of the idiocy that they believe is a useful campaign video. I just couldn’t stand the dishonesty, the ‘out-of-touchness’ and the utter stupidity of the ploy. Even if this were addressed to foreigners just off the plane, whose intent were to either invest or to simply enjoy in the country, the feckless video would have been totally ‘inutile’. If there would be a saving grace in the whole exercise, it would be the lessons the songwriter, the choreographer and the producer might have learned about their trade. As it were, the ‘pros’ at the ad agency, seemed to have entirely forgotten that the effort was about a candidate who appears incapable of carrying his own weight, and not about the skit and the performers. The Liberal Party, for their part, could actually have lost their sense of empathy, propriety and balance. They have come out as they really are.. ‘unseeing’, ‘unfeeling’, ‘uncaring’ and dishonest.
pabayaan nyo na,may sariling mundo yata ang mga abno eh,they must have.otherwise they won’t be so dellusional….we just have to choose wisely this coming election.super abno’s comment is so ironic.”bakit tayo aasa sa baka kung meron namang segurado?”anong akala nya sa pilipino,mga tanga?
Are they serious?
Let me laugh harder!
Hi there. Long time reader, first time poster.
This videi is released to obviously show that the current pollitical party is all puppys and kittens and nice people.
Why?
Its polar opposite too Duterte’s campaign.
Its just spin to win hearts and minds.
Thought you guys would have caught on to it to be honest.
not to mention… that youtube video is now currently 1.k likes / 13.5k dislike hahahahahaha!!
they can broadcast that on Television everyday forcing poor people (who could only afford free broadcast channels) until they accept and vote mar roxas.
but you can’t upload that shit on the internet and expect it to go on top… this is the 21st century.. where local channels are about to disappear and internet TV will now conquer the world of broadcasting…
people have the power to put that video down to the very last of any search result by pressing dislike.
What a waste. I shouldve not watched this.
i have nothing more to say about all the comments… all’s been very well said… all i can say is that the celebrities esp. MAR ROXAS and all involved on that video are all KUPAL!!!
I’d like to point out a few things. 1) Yellow can mean optimism as well as cowardice (http://www.colormatters.com/the-meanings-of-colors/yellow). 2) L is widely used for “loser” today, but in the late 80’s it was Cory’s handsign versus Marcos’ “V”. 3) It’s not “racist” but “aestheticist” for want of a better word; the people in the video are simply good-looking by someone’s definition. 4) It’s supposed to be biased and tunnel visioned because it’s campaign material; all ads are “delusional” in a way. 5) Finally, I wouldn’t compare this to Human Centipede. I would compare it to a RECTAL EXAM, and rectal exam wins because at least the shit is genuine, and also more entertaining.
Could you please post a link of a Rectal Exam, I desperately need to forget the details of everything I watched last night…
As expected it’s purely delusional as you’ve stated Grimwald. What more realistic and effective solutions can the politicians and government officials of the country could formulate and implement?
They live in a fairy tale world that they’ve created out of the loots they’ve stashed for so long since they’ve cheated their ways to where they currently are.
They could never be expected to see the real situation and conditions of the majority of Filipinos because while looking at the squalid poverty that flash in their eyes they see contrast images that they’ve created in their minds.
That’s the reason they could never prevent themselves from converting the the real living persons into mere statistical figures because of the wealth they’ve piled up from looting the country’s coffer they’ve conditioned their minds to see only royal lifestyles and could never see the reality anymore.
I actually watched it several times…
…just for some daily dose of laughter.
Puno ng kasinungalingan…pinapakita lng sa campaign comercial ung mggnda..paano ung mga taong ojna patay dahil laganap ang DROGA…at kming mga ofw kailangan lumayo sa pamilya kz walang maayos na trabaho ang bansang pilipinas…dahil lht ng pera ng bansa kinukurakot ng kung sino msng mapapa upo sa pwesto…
This bullcrap yellow sorcery is not working anymore #Duterte
Its a paid ad. Of course they should put the best there is. Its not a documentary showing the real thing. And to comment on the racist part. I think anyone with a filipino birth certificate is a FILIPINO. Let us not create another gap in our society please. Pang amerkano lang racist racist na yan. Wag na dalin dito. Lets just vote for who we want. We each have our oun reason on who we vote for. Lets just do away with bashing the ones we dont like. We can be civilized cant we?
Indeed we can…
Eliista ang dating… walang inilahad na katotoanan sa larawan ng lipunan….street children na palaging inaalis kapag may darating na dignitaryo, slum area na palaging nakakalimutan kapag natapos ang halalan, basurang nagbabara sa mga estero na katabi ang nagtataasang condo, at magsasaka na walang patubig, mangingisda na walang bangka at karpinterong walang tahanan. Puro condo lang ang ipinakita na nagsasalamin na mayayaman lamang ng tao sa Pilipinas. HIndi lamang dilaw ang kulay ng ating bansa, may kasamang pula at asul, sakamatuwid hindi sila maka-Pilipino, maka-Aquino sila. Fast Forward, ano ang itutuloy natin? trapik, sandamakmak na pawis sa MRT, kawatan sa kalye, tumatangis na magsasakang walang makinarya, o mangingisdang pinalalayas sa Scarborough Shoal? Sana tumingin tayo sa makatotohaan sa paligid, hindi iyong ibinabandila natin ang kasinungalingan na walang nakikinabang kundi ang mayayaman. Paano ang mga Lumad, paano ang biktima ng SAF44, paano ang biktima ng Yolanda, paano ang biktima ng kawalang paggalang sa karapatang pantao. Nasaan ang hustisya sa batang namamalimos? Nasaan ang katarungan sa batang naglalakad ng ilang kilometro nang walang tsinelas upang makapasok sa paaralan na walang libro at upuan. Kasi ang budget nasa bulsa ng iilan.
Ang mga masasagasaan ng BBL, ang mga kumakain ng pag-pag, ang mga biktima ng kalamidad na hindi pa na datnan ng tulong…marami pa po kayong hindi na babanggit. Ngunit.. pwera biro.. ang eksenang pinagkakalat nila sa pamamaguitan ng videong ito ay hindi lang ilitista, kundi isang sampal na rin sa nakakaraming Pilipino na mahihirap. Tila yatang darak ang laman ng ulo ng mga lider ng partidong Liberal. Bagay kayang ihalal ang mga ito sa darating na eleksyon? Nakakasuka…
Sorry pero naalala ko ung Movie na Idiocracy after watching their station ID.
Alam na kung san napunta ang YOLANDA FUND!
Desperate move.. wala pang panahon ng kampanya,pero grabe na ang paggasta… ikaw na mayaman at walang mapaglagayan ng kayamanan…. sabagay pag nadaya mo.nga naman ang eleksyin at manalo ka ay tyak babawiin mo din yan sa kaban ng bayan!!! Pagnanalo c roxas #RIPPilipinas ❤
Nakakadiscourage nmn mga artists na yan…buti nalng Hindi aq nanonood ng TV kc puro kasinungalingan lang, full of crap…!…Duterte:)
Isa lang gusto kong gawin after clicking the play button, IFAST FORWARD yung video ng matapos na! Total waste of my time, nonsense campaign ad!!
DI pa din kami nakakalimot!! MR Mar Roxas
Mukhang nkalimot na sya.. Pero kami?..Di pa din kami nakakalimot!! MR Mar Roxas
Ganon talaga ang mga ads puro maganda pinakikita. It’s like selling your product. You won’t like to show anything that would cause your potential buyer to be dismayed.
Wala pa kong nakitang political ad na pangit pinakikita coz it would ruin the image of the politician na tumatakbo.
Kaya dapat talaga natin busisihin ng husto ang iboboto natin. Wag tayo padadala sa political ads. Let’s be wise.
Para sakin iboto natin yong may strong will and proven capability to fight against corruption, drug addiction and crime. Yang 3 yan ang puno’t dulo ng kahirapan sa bansa natin. – Duterte tayo.
Its full of STARS from ABS-CBN and showbizness but the message of Mar’s vid campaign is lacking of SINCERITY and and seemed at lost at his straight road.
Very, very disappointing indeed. Sad to say but obviously the target audience of this crap is the bobo masses. the desperate move of using a bunch of tv stars to be part of the campaign ad is a proof of this. Bakit andyan yang mga artista na yan na wala naman talagang ganung alam at pakialam sa pulitika ng Pilipinas at sa mga problema na kinahaharap ng bansa ngayun?? Ang lakas pa ng loob gamitin ang diyos para linlangin ang mga gutom at mang-mang nilang mga botante at “fans”. tsk tsk… No Grimwald, the “Baduy” part is worth mentioning and it is relevant. I don’t think these artistas really know who they are promoting or what his policies really are. NAKAKAHIYA KAYO MGA GUNG-GONG!!
at hndi pa botante mga nag endorso sa kanya.kapal ng mukha.
Station ID
Puro acting ang campaign ad na ito…
Diko tinapos its bullshit! Fake!
Basically, the Failippines is a giant shithole. But some Failpinos are capable of imagining something better, and worst.
Good analysis.
After watching 4 minutes of that song, I feel so not included I wish to get back 4 minutes of my life lmao. I guess those celebs are the only citizens in this country and we’re all plebs in their eyes, we’d prolly be best be leaving this place.
It’s funny though, that I see that video garner so much dislike. Well, I guess this is the part where the ‘Yellow’ magic no longer works and everyone has seen through the bullshit. Why does it take every 6 years to notice that?
I’d give benefit of the doubt to those other people in the video, for they might have just been paid to be in that video. But, hey, money talks, bullshit walks.
I don’t know what to look forward to in these elections…