Tuesday, February 13, 2007 Cabaero: Winnability and lovapalooza By Nini B. Cabaero Beyond 30
THE senatorial slates have been finalized. Both the administration and the opposition parties begin their election campaign for Senate seats today.
In their choice of candidates, one criterion consistently cited by party leaders prior to the final senatorial lineups was the winnability of the candidate.
Winnability has been roughly defined as the ability of the candidate to win in the elections. As to what is the “it” factor that would make the candidate win is open to a lot of other meanings.
Many have put forward public appeal or (movie) star quality as among the factors that would contribute to one’s winnability.
There is also the public following that is already present, waiting to be tapped and be brought to the voting centers.
Although political parties do not admit it, there too is the matter of the amount of finances a certain candidate could bring to the entire slate. To be blunt about it, winnability means the capability to fund a campaign.
Movie actor Edu Manzano, for one, admitted he had turned down offers for him to seek a seat in the Senate because he did not have the money required to undertake an almost three-month long electoral campaign.
Some quarters said close to P100 million is needed to work for a senatorial election victory, with half of that amount going to mass media advertising for the candidate.
It becomes almost lip service for the party leaders when they speak of platform of government, past performance in governance, and party stance on certain social and economic issues.
It is up to the voters come election day to tell these political blocs that winnability must mean more than a pretty face, a controversial name and a deep pocket.
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The annual kissing festival called Lovapalooza was held again this year with a total of some 6,000 Filipino couples who puckered up to try to steal the title away from Hungary.
The Lovapalooza is a contest for the Guinness world record of having the most number of couples kissing at a single location at a given time. The Philippines used to hold the title but this was taken by Hungary last year. This year’s attempt held in Pasay City was the Philippines’ attempt to gain back the record.
What drives couples to join the kissing fest is the chance to kiss in public without fear of reproach and to do one’s part in contributing to the overall goal of setting a world record for the country.
Such collective energy could be tapped as well for a more existential purpose like the holding of clean elections. A kissing festival for clean elections. That sounds interesting.
