Ask a political candidate why he seeks public office and, chances are, he’ll say he wants to serve the people. The exact words may vary but the substance hardly changes. And that’s not the only common denominator among political candidates. They also unanimously believe that it is worth spending millions, or even billions, of pesos to serve the people.
The logic jars, really. You’re already offering your service and you still think you should pay for the privilege of serving? Well, the lack of logic is more apparent than real. Let’s start with the most basic. To make it even more illustrative, let’s use the presidential candidates as an example. Let’s just focus at this point in the fact that they are candidates. We’ll talk more about the “serve the people” part later.
Citing figures from a report by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), ABS-CBN News says that, so far (see “Erap admits lack of campaign donations,” February 18, 2010), advertising expenditures of the presidential candidates from November 2009 to January 2010 are as follows:
Manuel Villar: P475.4 million
Gilbert Teodoro: P184 million
Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III: P127 million
Richard Gordon: P119 million
Eddie Villanueva: P44.1 million
Joseph Estrada: P41.5 million
And that’s for advertising alone since the start of the campaign period. Those figures don’t include expenses incurred during sorties, giveaways, food and transportation for staff and campaigners. If we add the pre-campaign expenses, then, figures would be more than double and Senator Villar would have spent over a billion pesos already.
Now then, let me go back to that part about how every political candidate says he wants to “serve the people.” A friend from the U.P. College of Law and fellow blogger Lisa Araneta wrote recently in Facebook that she “wishes people would stop feeling sorry for the poor and actually start doing something to help make them rich. As in directly. By teaching, by training, by employing. Enough of the lip service, okay?”
In effect, she is saying that the best way to serve the masses is to make them self-reliant. I agree. But I wonder if that idea of service is the same as the service that political candidates mouth day in and day out. If the presidential candidates can spend millions (a billion, even, in Villar’s case) in their campaign, and we still have three months of campaigning ahead of us, I wonder if they realizes how many livelihood training programs all those millions could have funded if they had been directly invested in service-oriented projects rather than in a political campaign.
In short, I wonder why it is necessary to become president in order to serve the people? If a man can afford to spend millions (or billions), or he has enough charisma to charm the pants off donors to drive them to pour in millions for a cause, why can’t he do the same thing as a non-titled individual? Why is it necessary for him to be the president first before he can effectively serve?
Well, see, there is a difference between wanting to serve, wanting to lead and wanting to be called a leader. A person who genuinely wants to serve will do so even without publicity and, sometimes, even anonymously. He won’t even care if his efforts get acknowledged; it’s enough that he has done his good deed.
A person who wants to lead thinks that he possesses a personal trait that can make people move. If he is correct in his self-assessment and his intentions are good, then, he can be an effective instrument for change. And if he acknowledges that his ability to lead effectively is dependent on the continued acceptance and support of his constituents, then, he becomes a servant-leader – a person who leads in order to serve.
A person who wants to be called a leader is an altogether different animal. There are two breeds of this animal. The first breed is often self-absorbed and his motivation to become a leader is merely to bask in the glory of the title. He does not know what the job entails but he knows that he likes how the title is appended to his name. He is vain and mostly stupid. To him, to be called a leader is a glamorous thing, a feather to his cap. To him, the work can be delegated to others; it’s only the title and the glamour surrounding it that interest him.
The second breed is cunning rather than vain and stupid. He knows that a political title carries certain powers and privileges. The glamour is incidental. The real allure is what he can personally gain once he captures the title. Prior acquisition of the title is, therefore, essential for his real motives.
In closing, I ask again: If the driving force behind the presidential candidates is service to the people, why is it necessary for them to become president first when they can all serve the Filipino people even as private individuals? To the voters, remember: The key to an informed decision hinges on one’s ability to understand human character and the personalities involved in this political circus.
Post script @ 12.40 p.m.
Now, about the Salt Lake City mansion allegedly owned by Villar
You might have seen these photos as part of a set circulating in e-mails. The photos are of a Salt Lake City mansion purportedly owned by Senator Manny Villar.
My first question when I saw the photos…
… was whether palm trees grow in Utah. Apparently, it’s possible.
But, that the mansion is owned by Villar is a hoax. From Snopes:
In 2008, the photographs displayed above began circulating in e-mail forwards that described them as pictures of [Zimbabwe President Robert] Mugabe’s completed retirement villa. However, even in the absence of additional identifying information about the source of the images, the claim that they were photographs of Robert Mugabe’s mansion was doubtful given that they had also been claimed over the years as depicting the lavish digs of a number of other celebrities and political figures around the world, such as former Nigerian military ruler Ibrahim Babangida, Indian film star Shahrukh Khan, Universal Church of the Kingdom of God founder Edir Macedo, former Secretary of Health Care of Azerbaijan, and (in 2010) Senator Manny Villar of the Philippines.
Ahhh, the campaign is getting funnier — and more ridiculous — as election day draws nearer. I don’t even like Villar, I cringe at the way he is drowning all of us in his ads on TV and even the internet but, heck, it insults my intelligence (as it should yours) when political attacks are as corny and as easy to refute as this Salt Lake City mansion hoax. Can’t political strategists be a little more imaginative and original? Honestly, they should be doing genuine research to dig up real dirt (if any) rather than making up stories like this Salt Lake City mansion hoax. Because if this kind of thing is all they can come up with, I think they’re terribly overpaid.
I was watching tv this morning and got a glimpse of the news that already, crops have been destroyed by about three billion pesos. Villar alone has spent 1B already. He could have used that money to help us battle the incoming drought. Why can’t the government put a ban on campaign expenditures and let the people know the candidates through their hard work? Would that be possible?
There is a law that limits campaign expenditures. But no one follows it. Dunno how the Comelec will enforce it — if it has any intention of doing so.
If the Comelec disqualifies a candidate for overspending in the campaign, then it would truly be a miracle.
“If the Comelec disqualifies a candidate for overspending…”
I don’t think there will be any candidates left
Hay Ms Connie, I couldn’t agree with you more. If Villar (and other candidates too)used those millions to build schools, create training programs etc and then maybe put out ads like that of P&G (not sure if it was them) during Ondoy that says “this should be a commercial for blah and blah but we used the money to help flood victims instead”, I would probably vote for him. As it is, baka bawiin lang niya yung nagastos nya e.
As for Comelec, I sincerely believe in my heart that they are one of the most inutile agencies ever!
The landscaping is obviously not Utah. Yes there is palm tree in Utah but it was in southern part which is a desert at St George.
What a hoax!
I would just like to warn the voting public; businessmen meant business; they expect so much returns in the investments they made.
Reasons and logic stare; Why spend billions on mere campaign when (I agree with most of you), by building legitimate businesses and paying great salaries will surely upgrade the economic status of our countrymen.We must fear those who spend so much more coz if they win surely they will get so much back. In the first place, they’re already serving in the government, aren’t they?
Villar already said over and over that he’ll do “anything” to win the presidency. I can’t imagine anymore.
Serving the people doesn’t really go along with such astronomical expenditures as election nears for positions that only pays a very very tiny fraction of what they spend for even factoring in the fringe benefits they’re getting once they won. The vicious cycle of corruption is getting another turn once again.
Ang ganda talaga ng sistema natin. lolzz!!
based on my observatons here in our part of mindanao, villar has the most posted ad campaigns and some are very huge that some of us here questions why it was permitted considering that there are certain restrictions on campaigning. second is noynoy and mar although the number of their posted ads are few compared to villar. third, gordon-bayani and last gibo. i haven’t seen any erap posters here and so with the other candidates.
aside from the huge expenses, i hate the way they post their ads. they seem to not mind where to properly post those ads just as long as they could post those posters. now these ads are turning into eye sores. for example, in our neighborhood wherein most of the houses have long concrete fences. during elections it will turn out into a bullettin board for all those candidates. they would post it during dawn where people are asleep or during unholy hours of the day where most of the poeple are not at home. we will just be surprised upon waking up one morning or returning home that our fences are covered with all these colorful stuffs. worst, after elections, nobody even cares to clean the mess. for so many years i have observed this except for last elections, although there are still posters but after the elections they were all cleaned up by some group of people for which i think were hired by our barangay office coz i don’t think those candidates would even bother to clean up their mess that the election is over. i think that these candidates should also be responsible in posting those ads.
Unfortunately, the PRIMARY driving force behind the presidential candidates IS NOT “service to the people” as what most candidates, if not all, claimed. It’s to hold on to those executive powers and privileges and uses them at their own discretion and advantages, be it truly helping the people, or helping themselves first before people.
It is true it is not necessary for them to become President first to serve the people, kaya lang iba pa rin kung ikaw ang may executive powers and special privileges, mas madali, mas malaki at malawak ang pwede mong gawin para makatulong sa mga tao…or sa sarili.
Most of the philanthropists I know are also leaders/top executives of their own respective companies or organizations. They use their positions and connections to help them support their cause, whatever that is. It’s the same concept as being a President of a country. Political power makes economic power…and vice-versa!
Many private individuals try to serve the people katulad ng ginagawa ko at ng mga ibang katulad ko na simpleng mamamayan lamang. Still, how I wish I am the President; definitely, I can do more to service the people, no doubt! Kaya ako ang iboto n’yo..kay GIBO, walang BIGO!
“Kaya ako ang iboto n’yo..kay GIBO, walang BIGO!”
Excuse me? Si Gilbert ka ba? If you are, use your own identity. Otherwise, you’re going to get blacklisted here.
Manny Villar which started as a poor from Tondo wanted to become the President of the country to serve the poor. Very noble. It is something everybody not only the poor can always embrace. In fact, this is the greatest appeal to the masses and he does not need any other advertisement to spend his money.
He is the 9th richest person in the Philippines based on Forbes wealth ranking. By simplistic analogy, he does not have the appetite to plunder the government. True. Even Estrada knew he did not plunder because the play is done on a different level after Marcos (just like Miguel Arroyo in the brief disclosure by World Bank in the debarment).
Only if we become shortsighted of his background and experience, Manny Villar is the political model to-date. He worked hard to sell fish to feed his family and support his education. He joined the number one accounting firm in the country. That experience proved to be very valuable later in his real estate business which made him very rich.
Villar owned Adelfa Properties which bought lands and used these to get loans 10 times their values from the Capitol Development Bank which he also owned. The bank declared bankcruptcy in 1999 and yet still availed of the P3.5 billion emergency fund from the Central bank. All legit, thanks to SGV&Co experience. The money streams came from multiple sources; (1) the poor public which is largely the depositors whose wages were deposited, (2) shareholders and bank creditors, (3) the taxpayer money which is used by the Central bank in the bailout and PDIC guarantee.
The system works, the government paid the public depositors up to its limit. No harm done. Business as usual.
This is the scary part because it is not apparent to the public how Villar&Co. (he is already the Senator) manipulated the Philippine government by funding the C5 project (we are not even going into double insertion) which is not needed since there was already a parallel highway project undertaken privately under a toll program without any taxpayer cost.
I must admit the C5 was brilliant in 3 ways, (1) government funding, (2) the most important is the dramatical change in valuation of properties (he was able to sold to Ayala at premium price), and (3) higher reimbursement from the government in the right of way.
No one would argue that everybody benefitted from the C5 project which is the selling point of Senator Manny Villar. But at the back of your mind, you understand why he has the money, he can spend it and surely he will get it back 10 times.
Presidency is a prime position to serve the public. Of course, he is also facilitator like ex-President Joseph Estrada and the first gentleman Mike Arroyo.
Welcome to the new level of presidential game. The plunder law is too slow to catch-up.
Adelfa properties? I thought it was Camella.
Camella homes and condominiums is part of the Manny Villar’s Group of Companies, and so is Adelfa Properties.
According to Adelfa Properties’ 1997 to 1998 corporate papers, Manny Villar holds a 52 percent share. Adelfa was used to buy P11M lot from Enrique Factor, P11.3M from Maria Rodriguez and P18.7M from Iluminada Rodriguez to get a P100M loan each except the 3rd one which was P81.5M.
Camella Homes and Communities was original flagship of Villar real estate business.
Adelfa Properties went into joint venture with Thailand’s largest real estate company Land & Houses Ltd., to form Polar Holding Corp which managed different real estate companies.
One is Crown Asia with urban housing projects like Brescia in Quezon City, Mille Luce, Maia Alta, Mia Vita, CottonWoods and WoodBerry in Antipolo, The Currency Tower at Ortigas, Presidio and Marina Heights at Sucat, Gallery at Salcedo, Residenza, Ponticelli, Citta Italia, Amalfi, Carmel at Cavite, Fortezza and Valenza at Laguna.
Polar Mines is handling the vertical high rise condominium projects like the Symphony Towers and Madison.
Brittany is setup for corporate clients.
E Ms. Connie, who would you vote ba?
Watch the political drama, TANGING YAMAN, may social commentary at relevance yung story aside from love story. HEHE
NOT voting.
How come?
I don’t believe in elections. No such thing as genuine representative democracy.
That makes both of us.
About the only reason I have so far to go to the polls is to make sure that nobody tries to vote in my name. It happened to my brother during the last election, and it sure as hell isn’t happening to me this time.
Not voting also…
voting is not compulsary, but i myself will vote.
as long as one pays taxes, he/she has the right to complain against the shenanigans of authorities.
does speedy vote?
And this is where a protest vote matters. Vote for the person at the very bottom of the ranking -a fringe candidate or unknown. The valid vote is counted as opposed to abstention which is not visible.
It sends two signals:
1. A segment of voters are fed up with mainstream dominant candidates.
2. People are looking for better leaders than just recycled politicians.