Letter to Mar Roxas: Fire Your Publicists, They Make You Look Pitiful, Be Who You Really Are

Have you seen the Mar Roxas campaign ads? His fist bumping and collection of celebrities, body-bumping etc? From the comments of netizens, they are downright cringe-worthy. Some comments were saying that he seems “plastic” and he was “trying too hard” and some even say that his good image has been wiped out by the annoying political campaigns.

Just like Miyako Izabel, she shares her opinion on why Mar Roxas could win if he would re-do his political campaigns. She says he should “stop making the poor love him” and to “find himself and be true.”

Direct Quote:

DEAR MAR ROXAS,

Where are your intelligent political advisers and smart media publicists? They are not helping you at all.

Fire them, and ask for refunds. They are ruining your image instead, and they make you look funny and pitiful. I cringe every time I see you do things that are obviously staged and poorly contrived for the masses. They can only laugh at you and say how wasteful you are with your funds. Quit trying hard to be liked by the poor. Find yourself, and be who you are. Be authentic, and that can be your strength.

You have the education, breeding, and intellect. Rely on those, and you will be fine.

Being a supporter of a different candidate, I should not mind your political follies and campaign blunders. Because I do not believe in any form of political monopoly in a democracy, I will speak up. I want you to do the right thing, so my candidate will have a formidable opponent and there will be competition. What you have been doing is all showbiz. It will not work because you do not look like that handsome prime minister of Canada or that hot president of Mexico. Change your tactics. Market your brain instead, your clean image, and your admirable ethics in government service.

You should be all brains. Focus on institutional changes. Talk about charter change for economic and political reforms. Embrace the vote-getting Federalism not the hated, indefensible “Matuwid na Daan.” Think of brilliant solutions to Moro, CPP/NPA/NDF, and Lumad problems.

Tackle Philippine concerns intelligently. Invoke science, technology, and engineering when you talk. You have a Wharton degree in Economics. Act like a tech-savvy expert. Intellectualize every national issue. Target the educated and thinking voters. They are your votes. Walk their talk. They can understand you.

The poor will not support you, unless you will do something great like denouncing the oligarchs in the Philippines even though you are an Araneta. If you really want to be the president of the country, targeting the oligarchy can help you win. Among the presidential candidates, you are the safest one many Filipino voters can comfortably support. Redo your campaign strategy. Stop bumping fists and slamming bodies. They look funny as in trying hard-funny. That is not you. You should be holding a pen and a notepad instead while thinking what is good for the country. Be an intellectual, a brilliant one.

Sincerely,

A FILIPINO CITIZEN

Do you agree with Miyako on this? Does Mar need to go to a different path to succeed?