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