After Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque cried afoul over criticisms that politicians are politicizing the pandemic, Alan Peter Cayetano recently created an advertisement amid the Covid-19 crisis.
The senator advertised a call to his fellow lawmakers to aid the public amid the surge of cases in the Philippines. Cayetano, through the advertisement, urged other politicians to pass House Bill no. 8597 or the Bangon Pamilyang Pilipino Assistance Program Act of 2021.
But this advertisement did not sit well with netizens. Over Twitter, netizens were enraged by how the senator prioritized a TV ad in hopes of faster implementation of the bill he passed.
A netizen was appalled by Cayetano’s advertisement urging his fellow senators to pass the bill he filed last February.
https://twitter.com/ajstapia/status/1376874205375995910?s=20
A Twitter personality criticized the advertisement of Cayetano during the pandemic. The netizen further pointed that a single 30-sec ad was expensive given that the country is currently facing a pandemic. With spending about P1.5 million on the commercial, the netizen was disgusted by how Cayetano turned the pandemic into a political campaign.
https://twitter.com/krizzy_kalerqui/status/1376879797914071040
A former ABS-CBN employee, Jon Montesa also irked at Cayetano’s commercial. According to Montesa, the senator used the pandemic to his advantage, even using the suffering of the masses to show his sense of urgency.
https://twitter.com/imelaljon/status/1376876591255482368?s=21
A netizen was even disgusted by how Cayetano used jeepney drivers in sending his message to the public. It can be recalled that jeepney drivers were heavily affected by the pandemic as the government did not allow jeepneys during the months-long lockdown.
With elections still far, a netizen sarcastically awarded Cayetano for having the first political advertisement.
Annndddd… first honor, Alan Peter Cayetano, 1st ad campaign on TV dated March 22, 2021, or is it?
— no description at d moment (@crypto0209) March 22, 2021
According to the Omnibus Election Code, premature campaigning is prohibited especially to candidates who have yet to file their certificate of candidacy within the period provided by COMELEC.
A netizen replied to an article made by Rappler addressing the growing political campaigns. The netizen called out Cayetano for his advertisement and even called out GMA for giving airtime to the politician.
https://twitter.com/notsaintgabriel/status/1377155953280217091
A netizen criticized how Cayetano’s commercial was molded. The netizen pointed out that the advertisement is wrong in implying that the public should be dependent on the government. With millions of jobless, the netizen emphasized that it is better for the government to give job opportunities to the unemployed rather than providing monthly assistance.
https://twitter.com/justAlingMaliit/status/1377136885743505408
A netizen also criticized the early campaigns of Bong Go, Sara Duterte, and now Alan Peter Cayetano. With the country still under fire due to the pandemic situation, the netizen was enraged by how these politicians made the crisis political instead of coming up with solutions to address the Covid-19 situation.
https://twitter.com/_celestialkim/status/1377136426890842117
A netizen even questioned the sense of the commercial. According to the netizen, it does not make sense to have his bill advertised on television since its passing is not by popular votes.
Ano po ang sense ng commercial tungkol sa panukalang batas ni Alan Peter Cayetano about sa ₱10,000 Ayuda Bill? By popular votes po ba para maipasa ang panukalang batas? Mag-like po ba kami ng post o mag-text vote po ba kami? O pabango po ba ito para parating na eleksyon?
— Noriaki dela Fuente (@Noriaki_07) March 31, 2021
Harry Roque in a statement earlier this March has stressed that the government hates early political campaigns.
With political campaigns intensifying amid the pandemic, Roque had a message to politicians using the pandemic as a campaign tool.
“Kung mayroon pa pong konsensiyang natitira ‘yong mga nais manalo, na desperadong manalo, ay sana po ay tumulong na lang po sila. Magbigay ng solusyon dito sa problemang ito kaysa pinagsasamantalahan po ang pandemya para sa mga selfish political gains,” said Roque.
Tarpaulins urging Sara Duterte to run for the presidential position were scattered along EDSA. Calendars that say “SARA Cares for the Philippines” were being handed house by house. And now, Cayetano has turned his bill into a spectacle by making an advertisement specifically addressing the government to pass the bill he filed.
