Epalitics inevitable? UNA: Polls a popularity contest

MANILA, Philippines – Hate “epalitics?” Unfortunately, it works.

This is how resigned Sen Juan Miguel Zubiri and his United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) defended their early start in campaign ads and sorties, saying publicity is key to winning elections.

“Unfortunately, unless we change our system, running for the Senate is a popularity contest,” Zubiri said in a press conference on Monday, January 21.

The opposition coalition said it supported stricter Commission on Elections (Comelec) rules for the campaign period for national candidates that starts on February 12.

Yet it said raising awareness before the start of the campaign period cannot be helped.

“May mga batikos kaming natatanggap na sinasabi pinapalabas ang aming commercials or regional ads pero I think it’s unfair for public servants kasi ‘pag wala po kaming ginawa, sabihin nila mga bugok ang mga pulitikong ito. ‘Pag pinalabas naman po namin ang aming ginawa, epal naman kami,” Zubiri said (We receive criticism about our ads but I think it’s unfair because when we don’t do anything, they say these politicians are no good. When we show the ads, they say we are credit-grabbing.)

Zubiri cited the case of an unnamed senatorial candidate from the administration ticket who he said went up from number 17 to the top 5 in surveys because of ads.

He added, “Let’s face it. It’s also an election season and many candidates have to do certain steps to be noticed.”

Zubiri said that in the US, there are two senators per state regardless of the state’s size, giving equal opportunities for all states.

“Hanggang ‘di natin napalitan ang sistema, ganun ang boxing sa atin, pagdating sa halalan, we have to advertise the things we have done or ang plano sa ating mga kababayan.” (Until we change our system, that’s how the game is. When it comes to elections, we have to advertise our accomplishments or plans.)

UNA was the first to release an ad featuring its senatorial slate last January 7, a month before the start of the campaign period. It has also begun slate sorties, visiting Batangas, Cagayan, and Isabela, and other Luzon provinces.

Advocacy groups have dubbed as “EPALitics” early forms of campaigning. They also use it to refer to a kind of politics that promotes credit-grabbing when politicians plaster their faces on government projects. 

Even President Benigno Aquino III of the ruling Liberal Party took a swipe at UNA for campaigning early, saying it showed the alliance had more to prove.

UNA is an alliance of Vice President Jejomar Binay’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), and former President Joseph Estrada’s Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP). 

‘Leveling the playing field’

Despite Zubiri’s view, UNA Secretary-General and Navotas Rep Tobias “Toby” Tiangco said that the alliance is in favor of new Comelec rules limiting airtime for campaign ads. 

The Comelec imposed a limit of 120 minutes for TV ads in all networks during the campaign period, and 180 minutes for radio ads. The Comelec did away with the system of counting airtime per TV network, effectively reducing the number of ads allowed.

“We in UNA are in favor because even in the 120 minutes, that’s a huge amount. Of course, those who will benefit will be those with a lot of resources and definitely, we are not the ones with many resources so that will level the playing field,” said Tiangco who is also UNA campaign manager. 

The alliance has insisted that the LP has more resources, being the ruling party.

Tiangco reiterated that the Supreme Court already ruled that there is no prohibition on premature campaigning.

“Admittedly, we started early. At sinasabi nga nila daig ng maagap ang masipag (They say the early bird gets the worm) so that’s the reason. Admittedly, ads are cheaper now than during the campaign period so we just want to take advantage of that, of the prices.”

UNA re-electionist Sen Gregorio Honasan II said the issue with the guidelines is implementation.

“The time limitation [does not matter] as long as the Comelec and other agencies and offices deputized will be able to enforce this effectively so we will have a level playing field and clean, credible, honest elections,” he said. 

Honasan added, “It can be 5 minutes or 120 minutes as long as we have a fair fight because Comelec has a point, those with a few resources will be left behind.”

On Twitter, Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez expressed his own thoughts on the issue: 

 

Their assumption is that if elected officials don’t trumpet their achievements, no one will know. IS the public that clueless? #iwillvote

— James Jimenez (@jabjimenez) January 21, 2013

 

Just because premature campaigning has been practically de-criminalized, doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be campaign periods anymore #iwillvote

— James Jimenez (@jabjimenez) January 21, 2013

 

Just because premature campaigning has been practically de-criminalized, doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be campaign periods anymore #iwillvote

— James Jimenez (@jabjimenez) January 21, 2013

PNoy is popular but…

UNA senatorial bet former Sen Ernesto Maceda said the alliance’s sorties gave candidates the sense of the popularity of its top leaders: Binay, Estrada, and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

“We have also President Aquino, he started [campaigning] in Cebu but I think the combination of Binay, Enrile and Erap is going to give us more endorsement power than the solo endorsement power of the President.”

Maceda said that while Binay is not yet hands on in the campaign now, he expects him to be more active once the campaign period begins. 

UNA responded to Aquino’s campaign pitch for his candidates: that he needs them to continue reforms. 

Maceda said, “We’re saying your program of reforms has not brought down poverty, hunger and all of that so they need to do much more and in a democracy, we need fiscalizers, checks and balance …. How can an LP candidate exercise a check on the administration if he’s beholden to President Aquino?”

‘No time, motivation for Enrile coup’

Maceda said that like Binay, Enrile is a crowd-drawer despite the controversy surrounding his decision to exclude his critics from receiving Senate savings.

The issue has fuelled perennial reports of a possible coup to unseat Enrile as Senate President, partly because of his position as a leader of UNA. 

Maceda, a former Senate President, said there is no more time left for a Senate coup with only 9 session days left before Congress goes on break again for the campaign.

Senators Miriam Defensor Santiago and Antonio Trillanes IV though have said a Senate coup is likely soon, with Trillanes saying it can occur before the break. 

Maceda said, “I don’t see a change in the Senate leadership being endorsed by a majority of senators because if you change today or tomorrow, then forget the legislative agenda. [You have to] change [the] floor leader, committee chairmanship.”

Maceda explained further why he thought a coup was unlikely.

“For whatever it’s worth, I’ll make this gratuitous statement, I do not see 18 senators receiving 1.6 million willing to be ungrateful and remove Senate President Enrile.” – Rappler.com