Miriam to bets: Master the art of entertaining people

TANZA, Cavite - Master the art of entertaining people. This was the advice of Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago to fellow politicians on Friday after the Commission on Elections reminded celebrity endorsers to resign or go on leave from their shows while campaigning for chosen candidates running in the May 10 elections. "Dapat matuto na rin ang mga kandidato na magprisinta ng sariling personalidad nila, huwag sa pamamagitan ng iba dahil mabibingi ang tao na marinig ang mensahe ng bawat kandidato," said Santiago, who is seeking Senate reelection by being a guest candidate of almost all parties participating in this year's elections. (Candidates should also learn to show their own personalities and disallow others from representing them because their message will be drowned out.) She recalled that in the 1992 presidential campaign, "I was also the entertainer, candidate, wrestler, singer and dancer." "Noong 1992, wala akong pera. Tumakbo ako bilang presidente [na] sa tingin ko, nanalo sana ako," she said. (In 1992, I had no money but I ran for president and I think I won that race.) Defensor believes she was robbed off the presidency during the 1992 polls, which former President Ramos – the winner – has denied. On Thursday, Ferdinand Rafanan, director of the Comelec Law Department, told GMANews.TV that under Republic Act 9006 or the Fair Elections Act clearly, actors are prohibited from making appearances once they endorse or volunteer for a candidate during the campaign period. [See: Comelec: Celebrity endorsers should go on leave] Santiago, who went along the Nacionalista Party's mini rally here, agreed with the implementation of the resolution, saying it upholds the power of the state "to regulate society, to limit freedoms and liberties in order to promote better good." A former trial judge, Santiago believes the implementation of the law would level the playing field among candidates, a statement which contradicted the stand of NP standard bearer, Senator Manuel Villar Jr. Campaign should focus on candidates' qualification She also believes that the qualification of candidates, rather than the celebrities endorsing them, should be the focus in every political campaign. "Nagiging contest na ang halalan kung sino ang pinakamagaling na endorser, hindi na pinag-uusapan ang kandidato kundi ang kanyang mga endorser. E kung ganun pala endorser na lang ang ihalal natin. Isa pa natatakpan tuloy ang mga isyu sa eleksiyon," Santiago told reporters. (Nowadays, elections are all about who has the most popular endorser. No one talks about candidates anymore. If that’s the case, then why don’t we vote for the endorsers instead? Moreover, issues during elections are muddled). As if on cue, the NP mini rally featured no celebrity endorsers, unlike its campaign last Tuesday in Laguna. [See: Villar caps first campaign day with song, fireworks] As a result, entertainment was provided by Senator Loren Legarda, vice presidential bet of both Villar's party and the Nationalist People's Coalition (Legarda's party) and senatorial candidate Adel Tamano. Legarda sang the Carpenters' "I Won't Last a Day Without You" while Tamano rendered "Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang," the same song he sang during the NP kickoff rally in Laguna along with a female resident there. Tamano to contest Comelec restriction Tamano is not in favor of the Comelec restriction, saying he will file a petition before the Supreme Court next week to declare the same unconstitutional. "Kung ang pangkaraniwang Filipino ay may karapatan na magsabi na gusto ko si Adel, bakit natin ipagbabawal ang mga artista o celebrities. Filipino din sila, karapatan din nila yan, that is their right of freedom of expression, that is their right of freedom of association," Tamano said in a separate interview. (If a regular Filipino has the right to express his/her preferences for a candidate, why should the Comelec disallow celebrities from doing the same? They are also Filipinos and are entitled to the right of freedom of expression and freedom of association.) Tamano admitted that he will be affected by the resolution because he just finished his advertisement which features singer/composer Ogie Alcasid. In addition, negotiations are ongoing with actor Robin Padilla, a fellow Muslim. "For the established candidates, yung mga balik-Senado, yung mga naging senador na, hindi nila kailangan ang celebrity endorsers dahil sikat na sila, kilala na sila e paano naman si Adel Tamano na hindi kilala, paano ako aabot sa masa?" he lamented. (Candidates who have been previously elected no longer need to celebrity endorsers because they are already famous. How about me, Adel Tamano who is not popular – how will I reach out to the greater majority?) - RSJ, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV