Billboard Boycott

We have been talking about billboards for about some time now and it seems people are beginning to forget. Indeed it was only last year that a falling billboard has caused death to at least one poor soul in the middle of a rampaging typhoon. It was also only last year that a number of billboards has damaged properties below them, either to the structures or buildings the billboard was built on, or to the cars or buses that unluckily caught the steel frames on its way down. It was enough to terrorize everyone, even the media.

But now, nobody is talking about billboards. Government seems to have forgotten about it. Of course, our mainstream media people are either too corrupt and are paid to forget or too stupid to remember. So there you are, billboards are everywhere again.

I remember Congressman Ruffy Biazon had a speech (in congress) about billboards. He even posted it on his blog. I remember because I made a comment on the same. Of course, nothing happened as the good congressman is so timid to touch the topic seriously further. (BTW, in my comments to his blog I said nobody wanted to see those advertising billboards. As expected there is someone who will say he wanted to see those billboards and it is only me and a few others who do not. Can anybody be more ridiculous than that?)

Sometime ago I saw MMDA warnings about billboards on the MRT posts saying that posting of ads is illegal. I am sure this was meant to deter advertisers from putting them up on the MRT structures. I also heard that some people (possibly MMDA people) are throwing black paint on billboards on MRT. I do not subscribe to the idea of a government agency using obscure tactics (I am not saying that the MMDA is doing it), but at least the MMDA is doing something.

Surely and shortly, the tables were turned on the MMDA. Now you will see billboards on the MRT warning against the so-called “wet paint rag vandals” where people are advised to report (or text) it to them (advertisers) when we see them (vandals). Also, the advertising contractor removed MMDA warning signboards and threatened the MMDA not to touch their billboards or be sued. We also hear of news about MMDA people apprehended by the police for removing advertisements on MRT structures. Can you believe this? Government people apprehended (and jailed) for doing their jobs!

As usual, our mainstream media do not notice this anarchy happening right in the middle of EDSA. Well, actually anarchy is not the correct word but we should use something worse, for the advertising contractor is using government (local government and the police) against the same government (MMDA)!

Meanwhile, our government people, those that are supposed to help us, are not doing anything about billboards. How can you count on them when they obviously benefit from billboards (during elections)? In fact, some politicians are now using advertisers to promote themselves for future elections.

A blatant example is the new senator, Chiz Escudero, who is all smiles at EDSA, advertising his supposed winning form. But we know better… Engaging in obvious graft and corruption by this mere billboard, surely Sen. Escudero is all smiles for getting away with it.

(Someone should ask the new Senator: was he paid to appear in the advertisement, or did he pay the advertiser to have him advertised? If he was paid as a model, was it because he really has a very good “form” or because he is a senator. Would the advertiser get him as model if he is not a government official? In any case he is indeed electioneering in its most corrupt form.)

So what can we do? I propose a boycott on the advertisers or products advertised. We may boycott all those that have billboards in EDSA, but we can start with those posting their ads on the MRT structures openly challenging the MMDA, so far the only government institution who is noticeably trying to do their job. We can also boycott that advertiser using and being used by the new senator and other government officials (if there are).

This is my list of products to boycott:

• Head and Shoulders
• Marimar (GMA)
• Coleman
• Samsung Cellphones
• Ford Focus
• Institut Santre

Indeed there are others, and I cannot take note of them all. But we can start here.

Opportunistic Politics

I do not know Koko Pimentel. I knew only what can be read about his father Nene. I do not know them personally. I have nothing against them.

But in the last election, Koko run for senator when he knows that his father is still a senator. This is really even more bothering that no media entity, not even on opinion pages that I read (I only read a few, by the way), realize something is wrong with this. What are Koko and Nene thinking? Are they saying (which obviously they are) that Pinoys should have two Pimentels in the Senate at the same time? If Koko wants to help the country, can he not help by helping his father in the Senate rather than be a senator himself?

I do not like Zubiri, nor do I like Koko Pimentel. I do not care who wins the last seat in the senate between them. But surely, Koko Pimentels has just demonstrated the ultimate in dynastic opportunism in Philippine Politics.