(Disclaimer: This is, in no way, hitching the bandwagon of news and trends surrounding the "cursed" Senator elect. The opinions stated here are purely from my own observation and understanding, and I will try to sound so educated about the issue.)
1) We think she represents the katangahan in us.
But given the benefit of the doubt, we made mistakes of electing attorneys, or topnotch graduates, or former soldiers and police superintendents who had more of the talk than the walk. Why is electing a Ms. Binay such a big deal now when we have a history of getting stupidly swayed by charm before? I believe casting judgment on a Ms. Binay who, in my own humblest understanding, is only trying to make a statement even before she does her work is like telling a university graduate that he does not represent the so-called "masa." So it boils down to this - does her image even satisfy the voter in us, or are we merely playing too cerebral on the issue because she can always be an easy scapegoat?
2) She is an easy target.
Unlike rich politicians who can probably pay for yoru impressions of them, or celebrities whose shining smiles can overshadow their lack of acting skills and inexperience in politics, Ms. Binay does not embody your typical appealing politician, and in the world of Phillippine politics, being yourself is both a curse and a blessing. I bet, when Kris Aquino runs for the Senate, you would not even dare say when one sucks at acting, she definitely will suck at anything.
3) Election Day is the only day in three years where both the "magagaling" and "genuine tangas" become tanga at one given instance.
From what I have seen so far, Filipinos are so easy convinced by hearsays and satires and all those memes that it is already difficult for anyone to check the authenticity of published materials. I so love what I have observed in FB the past few days - people falling easily into that trap where an alleged "early press conference" took place where Ms. Binay challenged the people to not vote for her. Now, if this is the sort of intellectual beings that we have become, thank you for sarcasm coz I can now use it.
4) Ms. Binay is caught between those who like to vote because of a trend and those who suddenly became honorary members of an Editorial Board, being TOO trigger happy on comments and opinions without looking into the need to dig first into the facts. Lemons from lemonades, I always put it.
Did anyone care to ask why we still and now have in our disposal a Senator Legarda, a Senator (!) Bam Aquino, a Senator Angara, or a Senator Ejercito who merely used the legacy of their fathers or dreaded fame to get into the core of our unconscious mind? How different are these Senadors from a Ms. Binay? If I were to answer my own question - not so different. I feel a hint of suspicion - am I just merely a Binay advocate? For the record, I did not vote any of the candidates mentioned. Again, lemons from lemonades.
To cap, I can list reasons why it might be a good opportunity to have a Ms. Binay in the Senate pool:
1) Poe, Binay and (Hontiveros) would have or will represent a surge in a new political trend, of trying to change the landscape of the traditional (I wish it was easy for me to use TRAPO in the same statement, but I could never forgive myself). We're dipping into an experimental phase of Philippine politics, and I consider that a good thing, a transition where the "looking forward to" is something to look forward to. Our thinking might not synch with our expectations, but this isn't supposed to be a big of a deal. Remember GMA? We (though I am not included, I'd like to speak in the collective context) thought we were giving our country a chance of redeeming itself from the Erap nightmare, yet made the biggest mistake of our lives. Filipinos, a failed Ms. Binay is easier to suck up than GMA's. But with wishful thinking, I do hope she doesn't. That's where we as citizens come in.
2) The practical thinking prevailed in this election. Clearly, this is an indication of something pivotal. People no longer get carried away by advertisements but by public image, in the national scene, at least, coz I heard some cities still had to elect the same mayors when they already sucked the first time. How did Poe top the list? She merely played the good public image part without probably having to spend as much as any Senatorial candidate (I'm merely guessing here, coz I don't have the research and budget for digging deep to back this up). As an advocate of advertising and the arts, it sucks to see advocacies tossed around during elections without research and meaningful insights. But as advertisements would so willingly allow it, once done with a product, you decide to stick with it or move on to another when not satisfied.
3) Ms. Binay and the other low-profile candidates triggered the Filipino in you, both in the good and bad way. So, nagising ka na Pinoy, gawin mo na yung nararapat. Pero please man lang, wag mo na sanang idaan sa satires and memes sa Wordpress. Lagi mong iisipin, with your tactics, you are feeding progress-hungry Filipinos desperate for some changes, kaya madali silang nadadala sa sinisimulan mong kalokohan, so ingat ingat lang sa mga pinapalabas mong articles.
