To thine own self be true

I recently saw a TV commercial of singer Sarah Geronimo “endorsing” re-electionist Senator Sonny Angara and my first question was: is there “truth in advertising” in this form of TV commercials? The second question was: Did Sonny even need to spend millions when he already has name recall?

Quite frankly, it is bad enough that half of the talents and celebrities out there who endorse products don’t actually use the product or don’t do anything connected with what they are promoting or claiming to know about. I’m disturbed by the fact that some “endorsers” are actually taking advantage of their fans and their popularity to promote a product or even a political personality they have no alignment with or no knowledge of. For the record, this is not about Sonny Angara but the practice of many celebrities who convert their fan base and support into cash by lending or extending the trust and relationship with fans to politicians.

When I called out someone on this, my friend said: “It’s just a racket, Kuyang.” The question is, how many celebrities out there can be honest enough with their fans to say “racket lang” or “pera pera lang po.” As celebrities, “Stars” or KOLs or Key Opinion Leaders, they must realize that their fame or popularity comes with an unspoken trust and belief in their sincerity and credibility. The social contract is that fans or supporters will be there for you as long as you are true to what you claim to be. But that trust or social contract is non-transferable to a political candidate especially for celebrities who have no known political interest, concern or agenda. That trust should never be “convertible to cash.”

I have long written about B-Meg Feeds because I have long been an advocate for education of disadvantaged Filipinos investing in backyard hog raising. For five years running, I’ve traveled with the B-Meg team to an average of 20 to 25 provinces or destinations. I had pigs and continue to raise pigs. I enrolled at the International Center for Pig Husbandry in Lipa, got my certification for entry-level management and husbandry.

When I agreed to endorse a weight-loss clinic, I made a deal with the owners that I would only agree to be their poster boy if they succeed to help me lose a lot of weight. I spent several months almost daily undergoing the treatments, changing my lifestyle and was committed to the program. When we reached our goal, I didn’t even have to say anything; the weight loss was evident.

“This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. (Shakespeare)

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The Presidential apologist in Malacañang would have us believe that “Beggars can’t be choosers” when it comes to borrowing money from China. According to the Expert on Excuse, it is China who dictates and presumably who dictated that in the event that the Philippines is unable to pay its obligations then the Lender China can temporarily expropriate, take ownership or lay claim to part of Philippine patrimony or territory. What the Presidential Apologist won’t mention is the fact that we can always say no in Mandarin or any language China understands.

Interestingly, no one has had the guts or the courage to tell the Apologist and his associates in the administration that when all hell breaks loose, anybody and everybody who was party to or signed up for the loan will probably be guilty of treason for trading or committing Philippine patrimony or territory! I am reminded of the case of Senator Antonio Trillanes who was once accused of treason for back channel talks with the Chinese all in the spirit of settling the bloodbath during the Luneta Massacre. While all of that was happening, China simply took over Scarborough shoal and declared the South China Sea as Chinese property.

Trillanes was acquitted because in the eyes of the Ombudsman there was no war which is a necessary requirement for treason, presumably where the accused chooses to take sides or betray one nation in favor of the other. However, the Criminal Code of the Philippines says that in the absence of war, treason may occur when…

“At any other time, (someone) renounces allegiance to the State by performing an act which places the State in imminent threat of foreign domination or makes it dependent on a foreign power.

Interestingly, the main man Mr. El Presidente won’t be held accountable because he has made it a policy and practice NOT to sign any contracts so nobody can accuse him of graft. But in this case no one will be able to accuse him of treason because he never signed on any loan application or treaty with China or any other party they borrowed money from on terms that may be highly disadvantageous to the Philippine government. In this regard President Duterte is clearly looking out for himself and is being a Lawyer first before a President.

It would be well worth the time for President Duterte’s Cabinet members and officials to consider that while they may be in power now, “Walang Forever.” Governments and administrations come and go but the pursuit for justice and the wheels of justice ultimately run over people who thought they could get away with it. Unlike Erap Estrada who went to jail and was visited by his Cabinet members weekly and even by his enemies, will Cabinet members who go to jail because of onerous loans, be honored and consoled by visits from their boss? Malayo ang Davao sa Muntinlupa!

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