An advantage to having the presidential forum on Zoom is you get to see the background chosen by candidates which could reflect on where they are and where they want to be.
Candidate Leody de Guzman, a labor leader, answered questions with the simplest setting behind him. His background showed a light-colored wall decorated with document frames that are common in offices. The documents looked like government licenses or certificates that are required to be displayed. If it were a home, you would see framed diplomas and graduation or first communion pictures. The simple background is reflective of his being a labor leader and his projection of being one with the masses.
Compare that to the official, even presidential, setting chosen by candidate Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, incumbent Manila mayor. He was seated on a high-back black office chair with a formal and official-looking setting behind him. There was a dark blue curtain as his background with the seal of Manila at the top. He was dressed in barong tagalog buttoned up to the neck. He appeared very presidential in his attire and background.
Vice President Leni Robredo, gunning for the number 1 post, had connectivity fluctuations that affected how she was heard by the public. Her background showed an office or a home-office setting. Behind her was a huge framed painting that couldn’t be seen in full and there were framed documents to the left and right of the wall. On the shelf below were books, documents, and a spiral notebook arranged at both ends. In a Twitter post after the forum, Robredo said she borrowed an office near the airport as she was to take a plane for an official visit immediately after the forum. Anyone who uses Zoom knows that circumstances can make us go to alternative locations, sometimes another office or home, a café, the mall, or inside the car.
Candidate and Senator Manny Pacquiao had the color gold in most of the items behind him. There were gold-colored flowers in a vase, boxing trophies, a golden glove, and several frames with gold lining. To his right was the Philippine flag.
Then there was candidate and Senator Panfilo Lacson who also had the Philippine flag beside him. In the background to his left stood an elegant desk lamp and what appeared to be a ceramic painting. He blurred the rest of his background so the focus was on him.
The candidates’ chosen background setting may seem trivial but it was interesting to note how they have set themselves in during the live forum.
I write about their chosen background because it can give the public an inkling as to their character based on the setting. While the meat of the forum, their statements—which are somewhat expected, even motherhood at times except for at least two candidates—are important, what is key is their character. And the flag, frames, paintings, gold, and circumstances showed a bit of that.