MEDIA AND POLITICS

“…diminishes the importance that the public needs to place on supporting government officials, not because of their popularity, but because of their essential role in policy determination, whether on the local or national level.” –Sen. Miriam Santiago (on the issue of incumbents gabbing undue credit in posters)

 

The image above is an example for what is known around the city as a signage for projects being implemented. This poster is just one of the thousands of posters around Metro Manila, containing what is supposed to be announcements about certain projects that have been recently implemented in the neighborhood by certain local officials in charge of the area. The purpose of this signage is to inform the public that there are certain projects that are being done that the people may need to know or be informed about, that may help them in times of sickness or incidents, or to just announce that certain constructions would be made.

another example of "epal" posters

Now, nothing is wrong with the purpose of this signage. But what is happening, as seen above, is that officials use these signages as a way to promote themselves to the public and to make their names popular among the masses in order for them to have an upper hand during the next elections.

The makers of these signages are the local officials themselves who try to insert their faces in these posters as, what have been stated before, a free campaign. This form of campaigning is a good strategy to attract the people because many Filipinos are always on the road and therefore, the chances of seeing and remembering these faces will be probable. Plus the project that they have placed their names and faces on suggests that they have been doing these public works for the masses that adds to their appeal as a possible candidate for next term’s election. I think that the way these politicians used these signages as ads is cunning but very efficient and I think that many people would be more than willing to vote for someone whom they see all the time, doing public works for the people.

"kasi pera ng gobyerno iyon, unless
mapatunayan na sa bulsa niya
mismo galing ang pondo"

I personally agree that this is a good way to start for campaigning but I think it is a cheap shot at trying to gain attention from the masses. It may be their proposed projects for the people but it is still the people who pay for these projects that enable them to create one in the first place. So I am also frustrated with these politicians who do this because they are giving credit to themselves and not to the people who really contribute to the project. It feels like they are taking credit for something that isn't really theirs. I think that other people will also think and feel the same as I do once they realize that these projects that are being posted with the officials’ faces are a bit unfair and cheap to do. Though, I think other people may be lenient with this reasoning and may feel that politicians who place their faces on these posters only do so to inform the people about the identity of their officials.

Is this even necessary?!

This poster, is I think, meant to be an announcement to the general public that there are certain projects being made that could contribute to the community’s progress. The only setback in these posters is that, politicians use these materials as their very own campaign ads, whether it be on purpose or as part of the norm in today’s political society, I still think that placing one’s face in an ad would be irrelevant to the message needed to be spread around, so the solution possible would be to just remove the faces of the politicians and to replace it with information about the said projects.

Now what about you?

To plaster or not to plaster faces?

*main image from above: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=159255710886101&set=a.159255640886108.49712.146057982205874&type=1&theater

**images came from the internet, I do not claim ownership over them