You Know Elections Are Coming

Grim-and-determined-no-more THE Jonas Bagas (sorry, I know it’s a private joke among us friends, but what the heck anyway) posted a YouTube link showing a music video that highlights a particular province’s charms.

So okay fine, that’s been done before. In fact, we’ve seen TV ads by the Department of Tourism done in music-video style highlighting the beauty of the Philippines. Even the Philippine National Anthem which reels off at the start of the last full show in movie theaters is actually a tourism ad disguised as a national obligation.

But politicians having the chutzpa to star in a music video?! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the song, “Pagsanjan - Bangkero, Lahat ay Masaya,” sung by Pagsanjan Mayor Girlie “Maita” Ejercito, with a cameo at the end by Governor Jeorge “ER” Ejercito Estregan.

“Do you believe in life after cryogenic freeze?” Here Ms. Ejercito does her best Cher impression.

Is this an ABS-CBN station ID?

Oh so this is why this tourism spot was produced!

But wait, there’s more!


She and the good Gov must have had so much fun, they made another video! Here is “Laguna - Una Sa Lahat,” sung by Pagsanjan Mayor Girlie “Maita” Ejercito featuring Governor Jeorge “ER” Ejercito Estregan.

The Gov claiming Laguna as “ang numero unong lalawigan.” How he can claim that, I have no idea.

Particularly charming are the note-worthy lambat-and-orchid props of Ms. Ejercito. Here she channels Jennifer Love Hewitt.

I have to admit, though, that the Laguna song is so damn catchy. It has serious el-el-el-LSS factor, it can give Rebecca Black a run for her money. Rebecca, matakot ka na-na-na-na-na!

So I really don’t have a problem if a province has the budget to promote tourism with a song-and-dance number. And given that spots on tourism have a short shelf-life (while the natural wonders of a place may last for generations, Time and Man, especially local politicians, have this inconvenient habit of changing things), I can still stomach an appearance or two by the incumbent leaders of that place (though I’d really prefer that they stay out of it).

But having the governor and mayor acting as talents in the music video is something else. I blame this on the incestuous relationship between politics and showbiz. The two have entangled themselves so much that people actually treat politicians like superstars, and some politicians purport themselves like superstars. And then there are politicians who also are superstars. But I don’t care if that was Mayor Ate Vi delivering a speech ala-Sister Stella L. In my mind, something’s not right when a public servant appears too intent on building an image. There’s something Evita-ish about it that doesn’t sit well with me. Maybe I’m just too old-fashioned to believe that action should still speak louder than words, and all this flimflam is just sound and fury signifying nothing but self-aggrandizement.