We’re just a
few months away before political advertisements will again dominate our TV screens,
radio sets and social media network. The ubiquity of these campaign materials
can be seen not just in different forms of media but even in our surroundings -
we can see posters of politicians in almost every corner of the street, from electric
posts, billboards and even trees. They can even infiltrate news and popular TV programming
(i.e. noon time shows and game shows).
Persuasion is
precisely the reason why these politicians take refuge in the media because
they know it has the power to convince their target audience. As consumers of
these media texts, it is important that we will know the art of identifying the
persuasive techniques found in these advertisements. We should not merely
accept these messages especially that the result of this persuasion will
determine the condition of our country in the years to come.
This blog
will guide you through the different ways to identify the different persuasive
elements (also known as rhetorics) used in political campaigns. Specifically,
it will look into Mar Roxas’ latest political advertisement with the campaign
line “Pagtibayin! Palawakin! Ang Daang
Matuwid”.
Mar Roxas is
the administration’s standard bearer. As we can recall, he stepped down on his
supposed bid for presidency last 2010 elections to give way to Noynoy Aquino.
Instead, he ran as Vice President but lost to Jejomar Binay. On 2011, he was
appointed by President Aquino as the Secretary of Transportation and
Communication. Afterwards, he replaced the late DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo
after the latter died in a plane crash. This was his last major position before
he was endorsed by President Aquino last July 31, 2015.
A TV and
Radio Ad made use of this endorsement and was circulated in different forms of
media. It might not bear the words “Mar Roxas for President” but it’s obviously
a form of early campaigning. I mean, people are not stupid not to identify this
as a political advertisement.
Please take
time to watch the video below before you proceed. A transcript is also
provided.
President Aquino: Siguradong may kakayahan
Siguradong
walang interes kundi ang bayan
Napakalaki
ng nakataya para ipaubaya sa baka sakali
Bakit
tayo magpapaakit sa baka? Kung meron naming sigurado!
Ang
taong ito walang iba kundi si Mar Roxas!
Mar Roxas: Ako si Mar Roxas, tinatanggap ko ang hamon ng
ating mga boss.
Itutuloy,
Palalawakin at Ipaglalaban ang Daang Matuwid.
Now let’s look into the persuasive
elements of this political advertisement.
It is trying to sell the theme of
continuity – continuity of the flagship campaign of the current administration
which is Daang Matuwid. If Mar Roxas
will be the next elected President, he will continue what President Aquino have
started. This can lead us to think that the efforts of the current
administration against the corruption will not be put to waste. So why risk in
starting from scratch? Why give your vote to someone who cannot assure the
continuity of such “good” program?
It is also a big factor that the one
who endorsed his candidacy is the President himself. As the highest official of
the country, he possess strategic influence to convince people on who he entrusts
this important position to. This can be noticeable in the President’s opening
statement giving emphasis on his certainty on Roxas’ ability to lead the
country.
He also opened another discourse when
he asked the question, “Bakit tayo
magpapaakit sa
baka?
Kung meron naming sigurado!” The
word “baka” is a metaphor used to describe Mar’s toughest competitor, Senator Grace Poe.
Poe is currently leading in the surveys. She has been bombarded with issues
on her lack of experience. On the other hand, the word “sigurado” is used to describe Mar. The advertisement is trying to put forward Mar’s long track record in government
service thus making him look ready to take the highest position in the country. Why would you choose an inexperienced leader when you already have someone
who is equipped with long years of experience? After all, experience is the
best teacher.
Even the use of question mark after baka and exclamation point after sigurado is a form of rhetoric since a
question mark denotes being unsure and an exclamation point denotes certainty.
When the President called out Roxas’
name, this implies that he gives his full trust and support to Roxas. This was
strongly reinforced by Roxas when he appeared in the next frame stating his willingness
to accept the challenge of his boss and promised to continue and strengthen the
Daang Matuwid.
In an article by Manila Bulletin,
there was an 18 point rise (from 21% to 39%) in Roxas’ ratings two months after
President Aquino endorsed him and this political advertisement could have contributed
to the raise.
In a country confronted with a lot of
uncertainties and struggles, the theme put forward by this political
advertisement can definitely sell and boost one’s political figures given that
Filipinos are tired of corruption and going back to square one.
However, there are some codes that I
find problematic in the advertisement.
First, I have a problem with the
“Daang Matuwid”. This political line has deduced the problem of our country to corruption.
If we solve corruption, we solve the problem. However, even the Aquino
administration was tainted with corruption. There were some of their political allies
who were linked to the PDAF Scam. The Supreme Court also declared Aquino’s Disbursement
Acceleration Program as unconstitutional.
Second, I don’t think that a long
experience in politics is empirical to being able to do more for the country. There
are those politicians who have spent long years of service and yet wasn’t able
to pass any significant bill or law. Take President Aquino as an example.
Third, I find it ironic how President
Aquino uttered the words “siguradong
maasahan” when it is not a secret that he left out Roxas about the
Mamasapano Operation. I think he is contradicting himself. If he really trusts
Roxas the same way he projected it in the political advertisement, then why did
he leave him out on such important operation knowing that it was under Roxas’
jurisdiction?
Fourth, when Mar said “tinatanggap ko ang hamon ng ating mga boss”,
I was like, seriously? Who’s the boss that he is pertaining to? The masses? The
public? If so, why wasn’t he able to address or even lessen the transportation
problem in Manila? Okay, his stay in DOTC might be too short to solve such long
rooted problem but I hope he would have exerted more effort noticeable enough
to make him look as if he tried.
We are all aware what the main purpose
of these advertisements is. All these codes are combined in a 30 second
commercial for one single purpose: your vote. But let us not simply look at these
30 second advertisements as our basis on who to choose in the upcoming elections.
Let us learn the art of dissecting the
persuasive elements of these political advertisements, ponder on these elements
and reflect whether what it’s trying to say is true. Let us look beyond what
these advertisements are trying to tell us.
It is only when we learn to see the
underlying messages of these political advertisements that we can make our
choice, an informed one at the very least. And when I say choice, I don’t simply
mean choosing because you can end up the other way around.
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