Hope springs eternal

If you are among those in despair over celebrities—showbiz and sportsbiz and otherwise—sweeping the May elections, take heart: voters are no longer gullible fools, falling for any and every famous name and face around.

I found this out on a recent visit to General Santos City, where superstar boxer Manny Pacquiao is looking to knock out incumbent congresswoman Darlene Custodio, questions plaguing his residency status notwithstanding. Except for two young kids in an elementary school we visited, every one I asked about their voting preference said that Pacman is number one in boxing, but they wouldn’t vote for him—"idol namin talaga, pero sa boksing lang; hindi namin siya iboboto." One woman I met in the same elementary school was very definite about her assessment of the boxer: "Magaling siya sa boksing, end of story—close the book."

I had hoped to meet Congresswoman Custodio, but only managed to catch a glimpse of her during the ceremonial toast at the reception on board the visiting USS Blue Ridge. Actually, I almost missed her among the dignitaries lined up in front: my friends and I thought she was the daughter of some governor or other, tagging along for her 15 minutes in the spotlight. To say she’s petite is an understatement; hardly five feet tall, the argument was whether she looked like a 12- or a 14-year old schoolgirl! Coming from political pedigree—she is the granddaughter of former senator Magnolia Antonino—she is seeking re-election for her third and last term.

I ran into a popular movie director at the Spring Film Festival sponsored by the Ricardo Leong Center for Chinese Studies (the Singaporean film "I Not Stupid" was an excellent, hilarious but pointed stab at the Singapore educational system and its society in general) who was livid about Goma’s senatorial candidacy (at that time Cesar Montano had not yet joined the circus). "Of course I’m taking it personally," the director blustered, "since I’m going to have to pay his salary in the Senate!" I totally commiserate—every time I think about my hard-earned money withheld as taxes going to pay for the salaries of those very unfunny clowns in the legislature, I think that many being a tax evader might be a good idea.