Bzzzzz: BOPK's catchphrase; hitting Lolypop with Jonas words in the past

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos in Barangay Tagbao, Cebu City. (Photo from Delos Santos's Facebook page)
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos in Barangay Tagbao, Cebu City. (Photo from Delos Santos's Facebook page)

FIRST, people are talking about...

* DIGONG ON GOD, MARY. President Duterte had called the "God of Catholics" a stupid God, said the saints are "gago," and urged people to "kill useless bishops." Last December 8, Feast of the Immaculate Conception, he said Filipinos must be guided by "Mary's selflessness and faithfulness."

How does one explain the clash of opinions about the Catholic Church from the same person? The message on December 8 was a pro-forma message, probably not signed by himself but by a signature device. All the other remarks were made by Digong himself and not scripted.

* TRILLANES'S ARREST. Why does the impending arrest of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for libel based on four warrants issued by a Davao judge not create as much noise as his threatened arrest over a revoked amnesty sometime ago. This time, he won't really spend time in jail unless he chooses not to post bail. The anti-Trillanes force may do well not to send the senator to jail. It will only reap him more publicity.

BOPK uses African gospel line

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña's catchphrase for the BOPK campaign, as displayed on streamers in his mini-rallies or "pulong-pulongs" these past few weeks: "Tomorrow must be better than today."

Obviously lifted from the Davide Ekene song in "African Gospel Music" titled "My Tomorrow Must Be Greater Than Today."

That means "may be better" (a prediction or a hope) or "should be better" (an imperative). If tomorrow won't change things or will even worsen it, there is a fallback or refuge, at least grammatically.

No report of any sloganeering from the Barug-PDP camp. Last heard from a Bzzzzz source was what vice mayor candidate Mike Rama said: "Law rules" (LR, also for Labella-Rama), a modification on RL or "Rule of law."

A slogan's value depends on how much voters can relate to and trust in the promise.

Digong pledge on drugs crisis

President Duterte reportedly promised the end to the country's drug problem on or before his term ends.

First, define "end of the drug crisis": Total elimination of the problem? Or only a part of it; if so, how much? All drug traffickers jailed or killed? And most of the drug users jailed, rehabilitated or killed?

Then, define "end of the president's term." The constitutional term, which expires in 2022, or the speculated and feared authoritarian term, which can be indefinite?

Or, if they stick to constitutional means: Rodrigo Duterte's term or Sara Duterte-Carpio's term? The president more than once expressed the wish that her daughter Davao City Mayor Sara would continue his projects. And Sara appears to be laying the groundwork for the road to Malacañang, a party of her own that has expanded from a regional party to a national party, with alliances across the nation.

Hitting Lolypop via Jonas

Radio opinion programs identified with, or supportive of, Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing are using the statements of Representative Jonas Cortes against now-political -ally Lolypop Ouano.

The problem is that those attacks against Lolypop were made in past political fights when the Corteses and Ouanos were on opposite camps.

In the US, they use audio and video clips for this kind of propaganda: more damning. Not a new technique in Cebu. Years ago, attacks of the late Natalio Bacalso, assemblyman and dreaded radio and stage speaker, were answered by his rival propagandists with replayed Bacalso tapes praising people he used to defend before he defected.

Now it's Jonas's enemies who are using his words against Lolypop. How effective would that be? Politicians can hop from bed to bed with no fear of conscience or bad ratings among voters.

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