MANILA, Philippines – They help flood victims – and keep themselves close to President Benigno Aquino III in photo and video opportunities.

In the process they remind Filipinos that elections are near. They are slammed for early campaigning and bad taste.

On Friday, August 10, senatorial wannabes caught in pictures with the President in disaster areas sought to deny that they are, in the words of netizens, “epals” or attention-grabbing politicians.

One of them is Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, a former partylist solon who is not officially involved in government social services. In a tweet Friday, Baraquel denied that she and other politicians have used relief operations for political campaigning.

“Kalma lang po tayo (Let’s stay calm). PNoy asked us to join forces, we heeded his call,” she said. “Sa panahon ngayon, wala sa isip namin ang 2013.” (These times, 2013 is farthest from our minds.)

Baraquel ran for the Senate under Aquino’s coalition in 2010 but lost. She plans to run again in May 2013.

Aurora Rep Sonny Angara, who joins Aquino in relief operations, likewise refuted claims it is “early campaigning.” “We were asked to help and we didn’t think twice. Between helping and staying, I chose to help. Most would have done the same,” Angara said in a message to reporters.

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director-General Joel Villanueva, who is also part of Aquino’s relief operations, expressed pride over his participation. “I choose to be part of the solution and am lovin’ it! Praise God!” he tweeted past midnight Friday, excited about their visits to Pampanga, Tarlac, Bulacan, and Bataan.

Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon, for his part, said he was present in relief operations in Muntinlupa City because “that visit was in my home district where I served as congressman.” “I was there to extend assistance to my constituents. My father is now the incumbent congressman and we’re doing relief operations up to now,” Biazon told a netizen.

“One picture, a single moment, and a thousand interpretations,” he added, lamenting reactions to his photo with Aquino during relief operations for flood victims.

Like Baraquel, Biazon ran but lost in the 2010 senatorial race.

Baraquel, Angara, Villanueva, and Biazon are among the Liberal Party’s prospective senatorial bets for 2013. The President sits as Liberal Party chair.

They have joined Aquino in relief operations for victims of the monsoon rain that has killed 60 and affected 2.44-M Filipinos. (Watch one of their relief operations below)

Fighting ‘epals’

The netizens’ fury stems from the anti-“epal” drive, which gained popularity after Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago filed Senate Bill 1967 or the “Act Prohibiting Public Officers from Claiming Credit through Signage Announcing a Public Works Project.”

The crusade against early campaigning gained momentum online as early as June. Transparency and Accountability Network’s executive director, Vincent Lazatin, then built the “Anti-Epal” Facebook page to allow the public to share photos of this “malpractice.”

“One day I saw a candidate’s poster and I said to myself it’s time citizens rein in their elected officials. They’ve run roughshod over our sense of decency for too long,” Lazatin said in an interview with Rappler.

Most netizens slammed politicians who joined Aquino in relief operations. (See Storify link below.)

Earlier in his term, critics blasted Aquino for his absence in relief operations, for instance in the wake of typhoons Pedring and Quiel last year. Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte then defended the President: “Ayaw niya na siya ang magiging focus at ‘di ang biktima. Ang punto niya siguraduhin nating nakakatulong tayo.” (He doesn’t want to deviate focus from the victims. His point is to ensure that we are able to help them.)

Days after Valte made this statement, Aquino visited flood-stricken areas in Marikina and Malabon, and also received criticism. “Nu’ng dumalaw ako sa Marikina at Malabon kini-criticize nila kung bakit ako dumadalaw dun, nagpapapogi. Eh nung hindi naman ako nakikita, nasaan ako,” he said. (When I visited Marikina and Malabon, they criticized me for visiting these areas. When they did see me, on the other hand, they questioned my absence.)

Nevertheless, evacuees often expect the President and other politicians to visit them, with Philippine politics characterized as personalistic. – Rappler.com