Watching the “presidential forum” organised by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipias (KBP) this morning makes one really understand why hooking administration presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos into this and other media circuses is such a big deal for their organisers and Opposition “thought leaders”. Left to grandstand among themselves and compete for Second Place in this year’s elections, the Opposition nuisance candidates only make it more evident to all why none of them should be president.
After just two such shows skipped by Marcos, a pattern is already emerging. Much of the time of these shows is spent on non-debatable no-brainer “issues” — stuff that any politician will likely not differ in position significantly to the other. These are “issues” like poverty, job creation, and basic services. When you get a whole bunch of undifferentiated bozos in a room pandering to the “plight” of “the poor”, it gets boring really fast. Do Filipinos really want to listen to a bunch of clowns “promising” to put “the poor” first in their list of priorities? Very likely not. This is why shows like Pinoy Big Brother, not charity and public service documentaries, are the big hits on TV.
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More importantly, there are some emerging signs that “helping the poor” no longer works as campaign fodder. Beyond the fact that there are just too many presidential hopefuls promising to “help the poor” if they are elected president, it seems more like the electorate have set their sights on loftier goals like building a better and greater country. The fact that President Rodrigo Duterte’s splurge on infrastructure, the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ on-going buildup of firepower and fighting capability, and a tolerance for casualties in what is looking to be a successful war on drugs and criminality seem to be behind his solid trust and approval ratings indicating that Filipino voters have higher aspirations nowadays.
Simply put, none of these Opposition candidates are exhibiting any semblance of a vision of a Great Philippines in any of their messaging. For these sad Opposition candidates, it’s all about what the Philippines should not be “again”, preventing someone from becoming president, and reminding their constituents of how the old ways are better. Most of them profess to be progressive liberals but are generally imprisoned by their religious fundamentalism. These are not leaders of the Philippines of tomorrow and certainly not the sorts fit to guide their country over the next six years.
Would Marcos’s presence in today’s KBP circus have made it a better show? Definitely. These elections are, after all, a race between Marcos and all the rest. A show featuring only one side of the contest quite simply falls flat. It’s like watching a basketball game where only one team showed up and its team members forced to play against one another just so the show went on.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
With their experience and sincerity in helping the poor and downtrodden as their primordial program of governance; VP Leni deserves to be appointed as Secretary of DSWD, while PacMan as head of the Housing & Urban Development in the cabinet of the 2020 Presidential election winner. Aber? –Dinggol.D~~~
Even operating under the pretext of unity, he should not appoint Leni in any department. obviously, because she has shown that her loyalties lie with her “pinklawan” party rather than the Filipino people. It will once again be a circus of selling out and criticizing her own government instead of actually becoming part of the solution. She said it herself, there is no place in her heart to reconcile (what more unite) with Marcos.
That is why they’re desperately doing what they can out of Fear of another Marcos presidency. Fear that translates into anger, and as what Master Yoda eloquently said, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.
Elections are all about the candidates, their personal background, their plans, principles, policies, programs of governance and everything that highlights their accomplishments, qualification and competence vis-a-vis the office their applying for.
These qualities the candidates want the voters to know or be informed with are best unveiled on talk programs and debates and public conversations that various media outlets seasonably conduct during campaign periods. Aside from showing their mettle, and knowledge, voters also get a glimpse of how they think on their feet and how they react with other candidates when debating, etc. In other words, they are put in a position where the public can gauge, judge and determine whether they are what they assert themselves to be. Like commercial products, the whole exercise is to promote themselves to the public in order to influence their decision in their favor.
If I’m a candidate worth my salt, I’ll grab all the opportunity to go out and sell myself to prove I’m the best for the job. I wouldn’t even care whether who hosts the shows or what organizations are behind the programs. Friendly or not, the venues are all the same: built to test me and show how weak and strong I am.
If I will only go to those events that are friendly to me, that will throw softball questions at me, what kind of a candidate am I presenting to the people? What kind of a leader am I showing if I’ll just cater to the sycophants, arse-lickers and yes men?
For me, going into a lion’s den, a venue that would shake and challenge me to my core is the best place to be in proving who the best man is; the best candidate and the most qualified. I’m the best because I’m not afraid to talk and be talked about; I have nothing to hide and have no intent to avoid the unpleasant and the uncomfortable.
But I can only do that by showing up.
See, therein lies the point you missed. BBM does not need to do any of that. He no longer has to sell himself nor prove he is the best for the job. He’s already done all that over the last three decades. That work delivered results in the last several months. It’s political capital now working for him and not him working for political capital.
He and the rest of the Opposition nuisance candidates differ the same way a rich person differs from the merely employed. The latter works for money while, in the case of the earlier, money works for him.
“See, therein lies the point you missed.
BBM does not need to do any of that. He no longer has to sell himself nor prove he is the best for the job. He’s already done all that over the last three decades.”
– – – – – – – – – –
First, the paragraph would have merited a lot of believability and credibility had it been expressed before Sara Duterte boarded the BBM train and prior to the release of the Pulse Asia survey. Very clear, the confidence in that statement emanates from those two crucial developments in the BBM campaign. Another thing coming in his favor is the perceived dismissal of the petition to disqualify him. It would be another milestone that would further add confidence, mettle and chutzpah to BBM and his followers.
Second, I think nobody misses nothing. BBM, whether we like it or not still has to sell himself not to his admirers and to those who have for years waited for a Marcos to run, but to those who are still on the sidelines. His own father, the most popular and best political tactician the country ever had, in the 1986 snap election, has to go out and campaign in spite of being in power for almost twenty years. And he did in spite of physical limitation for he was not well back then.
BBM is not Ferdinand. It can never be.
Lastly, BBM, for sure, will not agree if some adviser will tell him just to stay inside the house and avoid people and the press and wait for the election day because it’s already a sure win for him. I’m sure he’s not buying it because there is no such thing.
BBM has political capital but it is one that is NOT rock solid. We all know that. But we have to admit the confidence is there. Let’s just pray that it’s not a wayward one. Because when wayward confidence comes, arrogance usually follows.
I hope I’m wrong.
For your sake, do not hope for it, admit it… You’re wrong and will be proven wrong!
And don’t forget that VP Len-Len had difficulties on her internet connection in a presidential forum. Maybe she needs a helping hand on BBMs data infrastructure program on his agenda to fix the internet in our country? LOL.
Yeah…I was listening to that this morning. While I applaud their intentions for our country, some of the candidates brings up the old, tired Marcos infamy. I don’t think bringing up, again. The Marcos theft and etc. for a billionth time, I swear to god I’ll be ripping my ears off, will ever make me want to vote for them. If your goal is to just kick the dead horse for another nth time, No vote from me. Anyway, enough of the rant.
I think BBM shouldn’t skip the questions, no matter how non-sensical or stupid it is. Just answer them, prove that you’re a president material. Naysayers will interpret your answers differently anyway. What matters is that you answered their questions. Plain and simple.
“…some of the candidates brings up the old, tired Marcos infamy.
– – – – –
As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
The thinking that the old Marcos crap is like kicking a dead horse for the nth time is missing an important point in the whole story.
If it’s already boring and useless and irrelevant, don’t you think that it makes sense that instead of ignoring it, BBM should confront and address it for it already lost its sting and potency for the opposition to even score from it. How can the other party capitalize on an issue that is no longer an issue?
I say, if the issue of Marcos sins are treated ‘trash’ BBM should consider it as gold because it is an attack that has become toothless; no effect, no power, no score.
What I think the problem is, was the difficulty on the side of BBM group to ward off the Macoy attack. They don’t know how to counter it. Even the followers, in trying to ignore it, don’t want to even hear it. Even on this blog, we don’t see any one offering a decent defense strategy for BBM to avail of to counterpunch. What’s happening is, if the Macoy issue comes up, the BBM fanatics just counter attack with anger and hate including the kitchen sink!
I say, before attacking, make an effort to soften the legs of the other side by offering a decent defense, not by ignoring and pretend that it doesn’t exists or old or a non-issue, but by giving simple logic why BBM is in a good place in so far as the implausible attacks are concerned.
Question: Can any one here do that?
“Question: Can any one here do that?”
If you’re talking about this blog…You’re expecting too much. You better off with real debate sites, you won’t find any decent challenge here. Maybe few. Mostly here are just average Pro-BBM people that comments whatever they want to comment. Just like any Yellow people who also occasionally troll here as well.
“…you won’t find any decent challenge here. Maybe few.”
—————
A few is okay as long as there is discussion and not just cussing or one-liner nonsense.
In a way, I agree with you but there’s nothing wrong in hoping that people will try and talk issues, not necessarily debate, and be able to share our thinking.
“If it’s already boring and useless and irrelevant, don’t you think that it makes sense that instead of ignoring it, BBM should confront and address it for it already lost its sting and potency for the opposition to even score from it.”
That’s his problem. If he keeps ignoring all the lingering issues on his back. Opposition will keep using it doesn’t matter if it’s past it’s expiry date. I just don’t know why he keeps dodging it instead of confronting it?
“I just don’t know why he keeps dodging it instead of confronting it?”
– – – – –
I think the BBM group has given up confronting the issues because they think it’s a losing proposition. The allegations are there as shown by historical records and documents. The victims and complainants are still active asserting their right to pursue action against the Marcoses. The opposition has kept the issues fresh for political gain even after decades has past.
That’s the reason why we hear and read pro-Marcos people saying it’s an old song, that it’s already been raised time and time again, it’s past its expiry date, that it’s already boring, etc. and other expression of frustration just to avoid and ignore the issue.
In my opinion, one thing they forgot to realize is: all the issues thrown BBM’s way is not personal to him but relates solely to all what his father allegedly committed during his watch. Very clear, the anti-Marcos group want to hold BBM responsible for his father’s doing or undoing in the past. And by that, the opposition has succeeded in painting BBM into a corner in their political ploy to immobilize him which is what’s happening now.
No BBM loyalist of note, as far as I’m aware of, have made a defense of BBM by separating him from his father. There are some here who tried to counterpunch but because of misdirection the response were ineffective or weak.
That is why, blogs and forums like this is important in sharing our thoughts on subject matter in order to contribute ideas that we seldom read or see on other media outlets. Debate is secondary if we are really interested in presenting a different angle of the issue. What’s important is we are able to dig deeper and show a part of the story that has not been tackled before that makes the discussion interesting.
Juan Luna – you have a point and I agree with you. It is now in the hands of Jr., to silence these critics once and for all. However, I would like to point out that as a people, we have to be aware that these cases are now pending in the court, both here and abroad, as we speak. It is folly to say that they’re getting away with it because they’ve been subjected to the full extent of prosecution with these cases. We have to allow the Rule of Law to take its course and not allow this to become the Rule of the mob. I think the opposition sees this election as their one last chance to milk this issue to their favor.
However, BBM’s camp seems to see no value in adding to the public discourse, and I’m somehow inclined to agree with the strategy. The issues, whatever remains pending for litigation, are in the courts. Philippine public discussion blurs. and in some instances distorts, the truth. As in the movie Heneral Luna, “mas madaling pagtagpuin ang langit at lupa kaysa pagkasunduin ang dalawang Pilipino tungkol sa isang bagay,” and this speaks for the current state of our electorate. BBM’s camp recognizes this, fortunately for them, they’re in the lead and perhaps see they have nothing to gain from attendance in these so-called debates.
I think there is wisdom to be had in this strategy, for it is a natural human instinct to preserve oneself. If you are aware of a trap, would you still go? And besides, there is nothing in our laws that compels a candidate to “attend” these fiascos. All he seems to be doing is to sit back and watch his opponents battle for the crumbs and make a fool of themselves. Like Benigno said in another article, neither side seems to be positioned now to be able to attract voters to convert to their side. The lines are drawn and the stage is set. I just hope for our sake it’s a clean and peaceful one.
@ Jose Rizal
“I think there is wisdom to be had in this strategy…”
– – – – –
I, too, also think the same considering there is no other option for him but to duck the issue. He can always confront it head on but the consequence is frightening because I have not seen him ward the attacks against him by counterpunching effectively, in my opinion.
Right now, the ‘strategy’ is working to the point where the campaign can say, if it’s not broken no need fixing it. However, I see it as temporary respite because even if he become president the accusations and allegations will continue to persist and might even become larger than what it is now that he is in power. If he’s the president, would he still evade it, run away from and ignore it, kill it or, as you mentioned, allow the court to proceed with the process? I say, it’s a daunting task that will definitely bedevil Pres. BBM on day one.
In the meantime, the temporary remedy is holding on until it cannot.
There is no point defending it. The anti-marcos people are too closed-minded to accept any explanation. Like you said, it’s the same issue all over again. Heck, if they want to know what the man stands for, watch his vlogs and his recent interviews. They say they hate the guy but he’s who they look for always… always. No amount of explanation from Jr. will change their mind anyways. And those that support hin already made up their minds and accepted all that will come their way from being a Marcos supporter. The issues and the controversies surrounding the Marcoses are not news to the Filipino people. He’s even making gains from it by making mainstream media irrelevant (who designated them as being paragons of truth anyway?). I say this is a stalemate from my point of view. Let the will of the people decide come May.
Good point. : )
you talk like bbm supporters are rational thinkers, but majority are believers in tallano maharlika gold. be honest so you have more credibility in this community.
I don’t think we need a chef like Bongbonh as a president of this country like we don’t need a mom like Leni here.
Also trololol give back to the madlang people the Tallanos gold owned by Rizal’s descendants, Hitler and Yamashita
More information is now available. There is no higher authority to decide on what is true other than the people themselves. It is precisely why we would want to be constructive in everything we do.
Let leni twerk
It would be gross, but funny as hell.
Which would go viral:
A) Leni discussing the finer points of her anti-marcos agenda
Or
B)Leni twerking to her hearts content
skipping interviews is a a valid strategy if you think its the most effective way to win. but dont pretend to complicate things when the simplest explanation is hes just afraid the paucity of his ideas will be exposed.
How sure are you that he is afraid? I’d like to understand why a pinklawan like you immediately jumps to the conclusion that he is afraid? But then again, I wouldn’t expect a pinklawan to think different.
i’m not sure, its just my guess because its the simplest explanation. no one can be sure because no one here is a mind reader. Why are you so emotional and childish with your name calling? Anyone who disagrees with you is pinklawan that is all you have?
Typical. Now comes out the victim card. You are the first to accuse us of being irrational bbm supporters who still believe in the myth of the tallano gold. No stomach for your own medicine I see. We were having a nice discussion until you came in with your assumptions.
It is you who should be honest to be more credible here.
i said majority of bbm supporters i’ve encountered believe that garbage. i dont know if you’re one of them unless you declare your position on that here now. improve your reading comprehension first before joining online discussions. you complain re the closed minded but anyone who disagrees with you you deride as pinklawan hehehe intellectual dishonesty plus moral cowardice
May cooking show siya to be more relatable to the masses na marunong siya at ang mga anak niyang, na nasa international schools masyadong pobreng mga Pilipino para makapasok, magluto
“…hes just afraid the paucity of his ideas will be exposed.”
– – – – – – – – – –
Okay, I’ll give that to you because I have to admit to skip or dodge could be interpreted anyhow one wants to especially if there is no realistic explanation.
On the other hand, the strategy seems to be working in his favor. Less exposure, less risks and less traps equals topping the survey.
I say, it’s a deadlocked.
Real talk:
Bbm fears nothing.hes been in government for 40 years, been a senator, went to foreign boarding schools and universities, is the son of a former president..somethingwhich very very very very very few of us will ever be.
He will not be afraid of silly old jessica soho or a bunch of obsolete mediamen.
“He will not be afraid of silly old Jessica soho…” – Megget
– – – – – – – –
BBM fears nothing, but he evaded her. So, what’s your explanation for that?
Evade is when you have an expired license and theres a check point up ahead so you make a hasty u-turn.
What bbm did was pass thru the silly check point without stopping or even rolling down the windows, like a real boss.
“What bbm did was pass thru the silly check point without stopping…”
– – – – –
So, he violated the law to avoid the ‘check point’. Could be because he doesn’t have a license.
So, you’re analogy put BBM in the wrong again for violating the law.
Tsk, tsk,tsk, Thor, can you help Megget here?!
He is exempted from silly check points, because he is a real boss.
But, for sure , you cant understand that and keep insistin that bbm is afraid, because you are either a geek, an onanist, or someone who has been living out of a cave.
Besides, you are only breaking the law if you are actually stopped at a check point and found with contraband or absent documents or identified as a wanted man..the silly check point in our analogy, however, let bbm pass thru because they know who the real boss is.
Get it, dimwit?
BBM is “like a real boss” and he can pass the checkpoint because of that. Good.
Now, why did he avoid Jessica Soho whose real boss is Channel 7? Was it because he knew that Soho is not afraid of him?
Thor, come and help Megget here!!! ?
Dimwit doesnt get it.
No wonder this fool is a yellowtard.
Bbm fears nothing.
Bbm is a real boss and does not get stopped at silly check points.
only the loser 4 stop at silly check points.
Get it, dimwit?
Bbm doesnt evade silly check points, he doesnt stop or roll down his windows, he just drives right thru like a real boss.
Get it, dim wit?
Not exactly too bright, this yellowtard.
Like his idol pnoy, who is now in retard heaven.
“What bbm did was pass thru the silly check point without stopping or even rolling down the windows…” – Megget
– – – – – – –
If BBM pass thru checkpoints without stopping, it only means he ran thru the barriers that stops vehicles from passing through wrecking his car. Isn’t that how drug dealers, smugglers and bad guys do, smash anything that impedes them?
The definition of checkpoint is, “…a place where traffic is stopped so that it can be checked.”
Now, I don’t know if there is such a thing as ‘real boss’ passing through without being checked. I would be glad to be given an example if Meg’s can provide one.
Checkpoints here have no barriers, just a tarpaulin sign that says comelec checkpoint or lto checkpoint or covid checkpoint.
In my analogy, it was a silly checkpoint..
Besides, why would bbm ram his car thru barriers??only dimwits do that, and bbm is a real boss not a dimwit.
Get it, dimwit?
“Besides, why would bbm ram his car thru barriers?” – Megget
“What bbm did was pass thru the silly check point without stopping…” – Megget
– – – – – – – – – –
Unless he’s flying no one would believe you Megs. ?
Why would he fly?
Cars dont fly.
Bbm is driving a car and passing right through a silly checkpoint without being stopped, because he is a real boss.
Which part of that is hard to understand???
What a dimwit.
I do not think BBM keeps ignoring, skipping nor dodging instead of confronting anything at all. To paraphrase BBM’s words in one radio interview he said that some assholes (my term, not his!) simply just can’t move on. He believes there is a time and place for everything and now is not the time and place to talk about the History of the Philippines.
He explains it himself here:
https://youtu.be/0K9UAjWNiE8?t=381
Now you know!
“I do not think BBM keeps ignoring, skipping nor dodging…” – Tim
– – – – – – – – – – –
But he is ignoring, skipping and dodging. That’s the reality but it looks like it’s working for him.
Wow! I can really feel the hate. You really are pink. Sorry for hurting your feelings snowflake. Good luck to you. God bless and stay safe.
You are free to flatter yourself but at least indulge us with your stand on the tallano gold. Dont be a coward
Bbm was educated in the best foreign schools, actually grew up in malacanang palace.
That bbm could fear being interviewed by some journalist hack is just a silly proposition.
Only people who are ignorant of how the world works, like geeks and onanists and people who live in caves, would think that bbm is afraid of the media.
Bbm fears nothing.