Selling Candidates Book Launch: Analysis of the 2007 Elections - Foundation Office Philippines
Book presentation
Details
---
The launch of the book on May 13 featured a discussion with Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, and senatorial candidate Prospero “Butch” Pichay, moderated by TV host CheChe Lazaro. Both senatorial candidates had interesting stories to tell.
The panel discussion, which included Ms. Yolly Villanueva Ong, President and CEO of Campaigns and Grey, Ms. Chari Villa, Vice President for News Gathering of ABS-CBN, and Ms. Marichu Villanueva, Associate Editor of the Philippine Star, confirmed the key result in the book: that popularity and money alone no longer ensures success in elections. More so now than in the past, candidates must now have campaign strategies that combine relevant political issues with good communications and mobilization skills. It seems that Philippine election campaigns contribute to more competition in the electoral process.
Overall, this should be considered a positive development, said KAS Country Representative Klaus Preschle remarked during the opening session of the conference.
Proceedings of the book launch:
ASoG Associate Dean Dr. Dennis Gonzalez, gave a brief introductory remarks to open the program. Meanwhile, Mr. Klaus Preschle, Country Representative of KAS, delivered the welcome remarks outlining the agenda for the day while hinting on the importance of the book in the Philippine electoral system and democracy. Preschle noted that “Selling Candidates”, like “Spin and Sell” is a research study based on focus group discussions (FGDs), surveys and interviews. It will help us understand the media coverage of the 2007 elections and in doing so “Selling Candidates”, may provide some relevant inputs to media practitioners, political analysts and advocates who want an improvement in the electoral system.”
Moreover, the book may help politicians and their strategists on how to present candidates to the people. With this, Preschle emphasized his and his partners’ vision for the book to be “an important resource document for anybody who takes responsibility in the next elections in 2010.”
Thereafter, Ms. Marites Dañguilan-Vitug, Executive Director of Newsbreak, provided a background of “Selling Candidates,” how it came about, its thrusts and supposed contributions to the society. Vitug shared that the book was an appropriate sequel to the pioneering 2004 work, “Spin and Sell”, which presented the results as to what extent did political ads shape the May 2004 elections since it was the first time political TV ads were used after the Marcos regime. Vitug then revealed that “Selling Candidates” was a result of the eventual discussions she, Mr. Preschle, Glenda Gloria, of Newsbreak and current Chief Operating Officer of the ABS-CBN News Channel and Dr. Ana Maria Tabunda, Executive Director of Pulse Asia had after the successful “Spin and Sell.” Thus, in partnership with the Ateneo School of Government, Newsbreak and Pulse Asia, KAS thought of launching a deeper second part in this new book. Moreover, Vitug noted the expanded coverage of “Selling Candidates” to include lapses and challenges and as such this is “our contribution to vigorous and vibrant discussions on political ads, the media and elections.
Meanwhile, Tabunda gave the highlights of the book providing overviews for each of the articles. The first article, “Shifting Preferences, Image and Personalities in Political Parties in 2007,” talked about the previous senatorial election, its polarized and highly partisan nature and the ad campaigns launched by both the administration and opposition coalitions. Meanwhile, “The Promise and Limits of Political Ads,” explored the perceptions of voters to such ads and their influence to voters’ choices. The third article, “Communications Strategies and Plans of Various Candidates,” was written by Carmela Fonbuena. Here, she assessed the strategies of the campaigns and the role of media in such. She found out that political ads have had both positive and negative effects to a candidate’s chances of winning. Finally, the article of Aries Rufo examined the role of media in the last elections revealing that media has taken up the challenge and started raising the bar as the public became more discriminating and discerning in voting.
The book was then reviewed by Ms. Malou Mangahas, Executive Director of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. According to Mangahas, “At best, the book offers interesting and initial insights into the growing but changing role and impact of political ads on the victory and defeat of political candidates in the 2007 senatorial elections.” Moreover, she admired the authors’ serious efforts in assessing the impact of political ads in elections. As such she graded the book with flying colors and noted that the book’s message is “that money can’t buy you love or money can’t buy you a public office all the time.”
Speaking in behalf of the politicians, Hon. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano congratulated the authors in his short message
A two-part panel discussion, moderated by renowned journalist Ms. Cheche Lazaro commenced after the book launch. The first dialogue focused on the “Significance of Political Ads: Lessons from 2007,” while the second targeted a prospective view on “The Significance of Political Ads: Prospects for the 2010 Elections.” The panel was composed of notable panelists from the government and the media such as Hon. Prospero Pichay, Former Congressman, 1st District, Surigao del Sur and 2007 senatorial candidate, Hon. Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano, Mr. Horacio ‘Boy’ Morales from the United Opposition, Ms. Yoly Villanueva Ong, President and CEO Campaigns and Grey, Ms. Charie Villa, Vice President for News Gathering ABS-CBN and Ms. Marichu Villanueva, Associate Editor of The Philippine Star.
Hosted by Ms. Patricia Evangelista of the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), the event was attended by members of the government, the academe, the international community, the social sector and the media.
xxx
