WHEN the photo of Liloan, Cebu Mayor Christina Frasco appeared on Page 2 in Thursday’s (Oct. 3) SunStar – a few hours earlier, in SunStar Online – many of us who watch the news more closely than others must have been struck by its similarity to another photo of another woman climbing published 15 years or so ago.
The similar image, which now sets off some sense of déjà vu (“I already saw that”), was the photo of Mayor Christina’s mom, Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia, “three months into her term as the first woman governor.” That would be sometime in September of 2004.
Mom-daughter tandem
The mother-daughter tandem now fills two local elective offices: Gwen is back at the Capitol, from her two-term stint in Congress as third district congresswoman (2013-2019) and before that as governor for three consecutive terms (2004-2013).
Christina G. Frasco is at the Liloan “municipio” as chief executive of the town. From 2009 to 2016, aside from her law and teaching practice, she was an active First Lady to then mayor, now Rep. Duke Frasco.
In white and blue
Check out the photos. Above left, a woman in white and blue is atop the Capitol dome. Governor Gwen, “clad in jeans and high-heeled shoes,” climbed up to inspect a reported leaking. At right, a woman, also in white and blue is seen climbing up a reservoir/well of MCWD in Liloan. Mayor Christina, in jeans too but shod with sneakers, was inspecting the water district’s facilities in the town.
What are the chances of the two public officials being separately caught in an uncannily similar image, recorded while working hands-on? Only when both share the view that public service requires imagination and grit.
There’s some risk here. A public official’s critic may say it is staged for public consumption while supporters may worry over the official’s personal safety. Whatever the response, the message is sent more effectively and interestingly than just talking about an event or issue in the comfort of one’s office.
Power of the message
It’s not known if the shot of Gwen was taken by one of the Capitol beat photographers at the time. But the photo was circulated on social media with TBT#ThrowBackThursday as hashtag. Christina’s photo was contributed to SunStar.
Each public official to his or her own manner of governing. At times, images are confused with actual deeds and the accomplishments understated or exaggerated by the images. Which attests to the power of the message defining, or altering, what a public official actually does.