Gwapo + Suave = Principle. How's that again?

Friday, May 18, 2007

It is now clear that Chiz Escudero is on his way to the Senate. I never said he will not win; I only said he was not getting my vote.

Sure enough, he wowed his way to the upper chamber and it helped that he had the looks of Bamboo and the gift of gab to boot. While surfing the blogosphere this past few days, the three most popular reasons given by those who voted for him are the following:

(1) He talks well;

(2) He looks good on TV;

(3) He is principled.

The guy came at the right time and capitalized on it. I don't blame him. It was not a long time ago that Senator Pimentel, the father, had said he will let his bar-topnotcher son go into show business first before running for the Senate. The wily politician, who exposed and popularized the term "dagdag-bawas" when he did not benefit from it three elections ago, knew the importance of popularity in making it to any elective post in this country.

And sure enough, Koko, who is about to join his father in the Senate, married a starlet, whose name I cannot recall. Here's a guy who topped the bar in 1990 but could not define "political dynasty" when asked by Korina on ANC. But that's another story.

Now back to Chiz. If the answers of most netizens is any gauge, we have indeed mature -- at least, in choosing good-looking politicians!

Today, talking well + appearing good on TV = PRINCIPLE. Listen (err read) what belle_anne, a Candy Magazine reader, had to say:

"Ang galing niya sobrang magsalita."

Or this Atenean after voting for Chiz:

"He LOOKS promising (or did you mean good-looking?). He has a good track record, and he's a man of principle."

I respect their opinion, but allow me to give mine. When a guy indulges in expensive hobbies while his home province remains one of the poorest in the country, I cannot conclude he's got good, if at all, a track record.

When a guy chases a corrupt President out of Malacanang but reconciles with the latter so he could win a Senate seat, I cannot accept he's got principles.

When a guy subserves himself and becomes a mere barker for an actor who wanted to be President without the qualification for such office, I cannot accept he is intelligent.

When there's such a guy, I can only make one conclusion: HE IS AN OPPORTUNIST!

Chiz is on his way to the Senate and there's no stopping him. Let's see what he can do there. Six years should be enough to bear out what I have been saying here all along.