It’s likely because Vico Sotto, Mayor of Pasig City is the son of showbiz personalities. His mother is Coney Reyes Mumar, former co-host of hit noontime TV variety show Student Canteen. His father is mega-star Vic Sotto, brother to Senate President Tito Sotto and a member of the huge comedy trio act Tito Vic and Joey. The Sottos are amongst the most powerful families in Philippine showbiz.
The COVID-19 outbreak seems to be proving to be a media mileage bonanza for Sotto whose “for the people” rhetoric is attracting adulation from a bevy of Opposition “thought leaders” who are quick to exploit Sotto’s telegenic looks to fashion him into a poster boy of everything Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is not. Sotto is evidently benefiting from both his family ties and the connections key Opposition leaders cultivate with Big Corporate Media businesses in the Philippines.
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The Vico Sotto Media Project follows a recent scandal surrounding a similar conflict-of-interest of family fortunes intertwined with news media businesses covering scions of powerful showbiz clans. Just a month or two back, Senator Grace Poe was called out for using the Senate as a grandstand for an emotional appeal campaign being mounted by the Lopez media empire, ABS-CBN. This stunt, unfortunately for Poe, only served to bring to the fore her and her family’s financial ties with the Philippines’ biggest media network.
These cases bring to light the fundamental problem with the notion that Corporate Media is a reliable purveyor of “news”. These connections and family ties notwithstanding, Sotto is good business as far as “news reporting” goes as he attracts viewers that, in turn, translates to ad revenue. In short, the system is rigged to favour the telegenic, the well connected, and, more importantly, the Opposition choice.
In short, it is a dishonest business that claims to be a disinterested observer of a subject that is a part of its business network. It is also the dishonest politician who makes his job about himself and not about the people he is mandated to serve.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
Do you actually have a point about his policies and performance or are you just gonna immediately discount him because his parents are motion picture actors?
This ‘show biz politics” began during the Cory Aquino era. Show biz people, who were uneducated, barely educated and ignorant in public service; with no public service and managerial experience, were elected in high positions in the government.
The Filipinos, who are ignorant themselves, thought that the “heroic roles”, in the entertainment world, of these idiotic show biz people, would translate into “heroic roles” in public services.
The Fake News media, have a role in hyping and deluding the ignorant Filipino voters, to swallow the bait. So, these incompetent people were elected.
That Mayor Sotto of Pasig , whose credentials are not carefully examined, is being hyped by the fake news media, and the YellowTard oppositions, as an able manager for the Republic of the Philippines.
The City of Pasig, is not the whole Philippines. ..and we have too much of comedians and show biz people, who were disappointments in their public service showings. Sotto of Pasig City lacks managerial experience. He is too young to handle enormous task, that Duterte is handling..
We want those who are trying to run for higher offices in the public service, to present to us their Political Platforms: of what can they do for the country, and for us….how they can solve the enormous problems that we have, and their programs to improve the country .
Do not cover your incompetence and inexperience with show biz songs and dances, or good looks, or being hyped by the fake news media as a “superman” or superwoman !
What do you mean “filipnos,who are ignorant themselves”? All filipinos are ignorants? Were they also ignorant when they voted for duterte or are they Only ignorant when they vote for someone you dont like?
Probably meant the vast majority of 70-80% who belong to the “masses”, e.g. the very people who put Erap into power and nearly made FPJ won. No, Filipinos were not ignorant because they were simply fed up with the post-EDSA “Yellow” rule that tore the Philippines apart. They basically angry and simply want someone who can rule the country with an iron fist in the form of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. “Ignorant when they vote for someone you don’t like”? Even no opposition senatorial bet won in last year’s midterm elections, so respect the will of the people.
Mayor Vico is doing a far better job than most of the usual Filipino politician. He just needs to get rid of that blinders from the yellow programming.
I think (digital) media is mainly focusing on commending efforts of Vico followed behind by Isko (maybe because he had his time to shine last year). But these two have been recognizable on TV from way back.
I kind if get the jist of this blog post in that what about the other LGUs who have done/steoped up like that of Marikina, Valenzuela and others. Sorry, i dont remember them all or by name but i have seen that twitter/fb post that included them as commendable politicians who stepped up for their constituents.
It’s not about putting Vico down, but raising up those who are also doing the same for their constituents.
As long as it can be kept in context, i don’t see any harm in it.
Is the opposition latching on to his millenial political appeal? It is commendable that he steers away from the self-serving competition which limits the efficiency and purpose of government. I hope he’ll be encouraged to go for the national level.
I’ve seen someone clarify that many other mayors are doing the same thing, such as in Marikina and Manila (Moreno, of course). Then you see posts and articles saying “Vico is doing the best” or “Vico for President.” So obvious that these are Praise Releases.