Campaign Starts

I WAS a bit surprised to know that the campaign period for national candidates such as senators and party-list groups starts today. I thought it has started several months ago when televiewers started seeing wannabees, has-beens and sitting political luminaries on television for their advertisements in the guise of their advocacies.

Seriously, even though it's the official start of the campaign season today for some candidates for the May elections, I see nothing new since people are already used to campaign advertisements on print and broadcast media and other gimmicks aimed at increasing the popularity of an aspirant that will eventually lead to his winning.

For the Team PNoy, they will stage their opening salvo at the infamous Plaza Miranda where in the olden days was the site of political rallies and events. No one would forget the Plaza Miranda bombing where a grenade was hurled on the stage killing a few and hurting many.

On the other hand, the United Nationalist Alliance will start their campaign on the roll at Cebu City. The said city is a vote-rich territory that is said to be one of the factors that helped former President and now Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal Arroyo win the polls for the presidency.

Campaign rallies, although seemed to be made insignificant now with the advent of political advertisements and television appearances, seem to be campaign standards during the election season. This despite the fact that the "artista effect" I think is still more effective in getting known and be popular to people.

National candidates who stage campaign rallies usually bring in entertainers -- actors and actresses or simply stand-up comedians -- from bars and restos, making the supposed presentation of platforms of government an entertainment show.

What do you call people dancing and singing on stage while people enjoy watching what they are doing?

Entertainment draws crowds and these throngs are being wooed by candidates who are mere inserts during campaign rallies filled with entertainment gimmick including the giving away of tokens. The more people they gather, the better chances of having the numbers.
But chances are not assurances.

Campaign sorties are usually held in town plazas or any built-up areas where there are prospective voters and supporters who are the most important people on earth for aspirants during this election season.
Every election season, candidates spend millions of pesos from everything related to the polls. I wonder why they always say that we have dirty politics in the country and yet many indulge in it election year after election year.

Campaigns, being entertainments on some occasions, add up to the expenses one's campaign chest has to cope up with. It's not easy to be popular and it's not easy to win. What our national candidates spend for their trail is no joke. They have to visit provinces as many as they can and as many as their war chest can conquer.

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Speaking of campaign, I know a PartyList congresswoman who would surely know her people and love them once again, now that the campaign for national candidates has started.

Sad to say, she would throw them like jagged and dirtied rags after using them for the elections. I bet she wouldn't make it this time, now that her supporters have gone bitter with this user.

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For any comments, ideas, suggestions or opinions, text or call The Advocate at 09213636360 or send email at dencious@yahoo.com.