The Opposition is now on the Defense following the debacle that was ABS-CBN starlet Angel Locsin’s community pantry birthday bash (pardon the pun). What started as a nod to the renowned Filipino tradition of birthday celebrants hosting “palamon” (food treat to friends and, in the case of politicians and VIPs, the community) turned into something just short of The Great Wowowee Stampede of 2006 that left 88 dead.
Locsin was turned into a larger-than-life personality by her fandom even before this disaster owing to her portrayal of Filipino folk superhero Darna in the 2005 GMA Network TV fantasy-drama Darna. Not content with muddling together real life and reel life, Opposition partisans latched on to Locsin’s activism as well making her a key personality in their campaign to vilify the government of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Such vilification campaigns have been revealed to be a lazy strategy applied by an intellectually-bankrupt Opposition that, with just 12 months to go before the next national elections, still lack a coherent campaign platform and a “winnable” leader.
So now consistent with the low quality of the brains applied to their rhetoric, the position the chi chi “activists” and “thought leaders” of the Opposition have taken in light of the evidently ill-thought-out and ultimately ill-fated community pantry circus staged yesterday is to highlight that Locsin has since apologised. Served with a good helping of whataboutism to their choir, this has since been the cornerstone of the broader politicised apologism Opposition “influencers” have been screaming out on social media.
| 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 |
Of course most can easily see through all that and read the dishonest subtext of this quaint celebrity apology bannering — that “we” need to be excused for this debacle because the “poor” needed to be “helped” and that there were so many of this “poor” because Duterte “didn’t do his job”.
Well, to be fair, whatever works, right?
If the Opposition choose to float their boat by using Duterte — yet again — as a scapegoat for the failure of Locsin’s little fete to achieve its “good” intent, then by all means they should knock themselves out. The only thing to look out for is whether this approach actually adds converted Filipino voters to their bid to win in 2022. For those who harbour plans to illegally unseat Duterte before them, perhaps take stock to see whether community pantries can be framed as “the new people power” movement.
If nothing of this sort of political capital comes out of all this shrill posturing then at least pause to reflect. A life had been lost and a starlet is in tears begging people to accept her apology. And for what? No winnability for the Opposition and no “people power” for the anarchists. For my part, I have this to make ambag as a consolation: Apology accepted, Ms Angel Locsin.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
That means other community pantry organizers should include crowd control in their organizational functions. I believe a few organizers have thought of it and put controls to prevent or reduce crowding.
why are so many people lining up at these initiatives? i thought this government was super effective and everyone had jobs and food on the table.
I would give this train of thought to try to reply to your query.
If that was the case, there would be no charities in any country, right? (I don’t know of any country with no homeless or jobless)
Community Pantries are not requiring you to submit your ITR and/or proof of no income/employment, or your severence letter. Take for example the lolo who died. The photo they showed had him with a wall hung LCD/LED TV and it wasn’t in a shanty house. So, I’m just guessing but it looked like they were at least a middle class family. Maybe not a well off one, but still middle class. Also not saying they weren’t affected by the pandemic but I think there is a point to be made that those lining up are not all “poor”.
Community Pantries also do not discriminate. Their tag line is along the lines of take what you need and give what you can afford.
But, I can be corrected on that observation with new information.
Also, as for as I know, Lolo also violated quarantine protocols. He was 67. I think the age limit only allows up to 65 to be able to leave the house.
But, do correct me if I am wrong in this.
You are not wrong (just as others who think Angel was very wrong are correct in their judgment of the actress’ kabobohan, err, lack of foresight). Between the two, napakalaki ng sala ni Angel.
Angel and other wannabe politicians and pabida celebrities always take advantage of the people’s weaknesses. IF Angel was truly sincere (and not wanting her right hand know what her left hand was doing), she could have done an UNANNOUNCED mobile pantry where she could have distributed to the poor community. Less fuss. But no, it’s all propaganda for yellows, liberals, socialists, communists.
I have been reading SocMed posts of UP and Ateneo instructors + ISKOs and ISKAs YET AGAIN blaming Duterte and Duterte Administration for Angel Locsin’s failed early campaign via hosting a birthday community pantry that was advertised in the WORLDWIDE WEB in the middle of a pandemic .where US travel advisory against PI is level 4. This prove yet again that people with high IQs can still be stupid (or can really hate so much that everything is Duterte’s fault). As for simple minded/symbol minded fans, they will really be used and abused by ambitious actors aiming to become politicians bec they’re naive.
Celebrity is toxic in a society of starstruck ignoramuses and this has yet again been proven. So many have been misled and so few consequences have been reported — just the really deadly ones.
Not sure if somebody from the middle class would endure hours long waiting in line for food. 3am to 9pm. If social conditions are not secure or stable, belonging to the middle class doesn’t mean much.
correction 3am to 9am