Media power is very evident in the results of the midterm elections. Grace Poe (daughter of Fernando Poe, Jr.), Loren Legarda of Channel 2 before (#2) , Joseph Estrada, Lucy Torres who won as a Congress Representative from Leyte, Coco Pimentel (7th) who keeps a radio national program and whose father is a Sunday fixture in another radio station, and movie actor Aga Muhlach governor of Camarines Sur. Film candidates, Poe and Estrada got plum slots - number one senator and mayor, respectively.
Winners who know how to use media like Allan Peter Cayetano (senator), Cynthia Villar (10th) and Chiz Escudero (3rd) who probably has a media agent that knows how to exploit his tiff with the parents of his beloved, also won handily, landing in 3rd, 4th and 10th slots as of the moment.
What are the traits of a media-savvy candidate? They do not hesitate when speaking; know their subject matter, are clear in pronouncing words, and know how to tickle the minds of the listeners/audience. In other words, they are schooled in appearing in public, whether through a medium or in person.
How much is a tv spot? In one station alone, a 30-seconder costs almost half a mIllion. But some candidates were able to make themselves seen and heard almost everyday since the start of the campaign period. Multiply that by just 30 days, and that would come up to P15,000,000. Where will a candidate get that much money to pay for his or her exposure? Surely a way to democratize media exposure should be found to make sure that money will not be the measure of victory at the polls and that no candidate will be able to monopolize the use of a medium just because he/she has got the funds for it.
Fernando Poe, Jr. during his presidential campaign was also able to use the media and his public meetings had thunderous applauses. He lost, not because he was less media-exposed but because there was cheating. Unfortunately, instead of putting a closure to his protest, the tribunal hearing the case considered it moot and academic when he died under questionable circumstances, to my mind. I think the government owes it to every voter to show who really won in the 2004 presidential elections. No such thing as moot and academic where the people's WILL is concerned. Philippine history should not have gaps in terms of writing the history of how people vote and who we vote for as president, or any other position for that matter.
I would even suggest now that a DNA testing of the body of FPJ be done in order to know the real cause of his death. So many causes were bandied about -- centering much on something innocuous. But to my mind, the real cause is still political. The wife of a policeman told me that some ten persons did him in when he was hospitalized. Unfortunately, that wife has died of lupus and we cannot get anymore personal testimony from her.
And so, the saga continues with the ascendancy of Grace Poe to power. How effective and influential will she be in the Senate among her colleagues? Abangan!
Being elected to any government position does not mean possessing the position and earning a lot for sitting in it. The raison d'etre of being in government is to serve, serve and serve the public more. In fact I would proffer that government service should be a 24-hour commitment so long as there are poor, hungry, and homeless people.
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