Whatever can be said of that “Binay Country” streamer that was on display at the South Coastal Road during the Statio Orbis or “Stations of the World” Mass of the International Eucharistic Congress last Sunday was already vented out in social and traditional media.
To say that it was an eyesore was the least of the mostly vitriolic comments issued by Netizens, mostly Cebuano voters who may or may have been part of the crowd that booed the vice president during his appearance at the Sinulog Grand Parade last month.
Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella, who said he was unaware about the streamer promised to do something about it. But like fellow Team Rama ally Jocelyn Pesquera, Labella was suspicious about the presence of the streamer and said it was done in “bad taste.”
In downplaying accusations that they are behind it, Team Rama was quick to point out that they would have done a better job of promoting Binay and wouldn’t use the streamer which they considered to be made of cheap material.
That assertion may imply that the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) is behind this stunt but in this day and age of online social media exposés, where a strategically-hidden cellphone camera can record shenanigans committed by all sorts of unsavory characters, there is no one who came forward that can attest to their involvement.
Which is a damn shame because it’s not as if Cebuanos are unfamiliar with this campaign tactic. Last year, a “Never Again” streamer was posted in front of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), which highlighted anew the charges of corruption leveled at the previous administration in relation to the project which was severely damaged by the October 15, 2013 earthquake.
On the surface, both the “Never Again” streamer and this latest “Binay Country” streamer were intended to shame and humiliate their intended targets, which are former governor and now Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia of Cebu’s 3rd district and Vice President Jejomar Binay.
By extension, the “Binay Country” streamer also recalled that October visit of Binay in which streamers proclaiming Cebu as “Binay Country” were hung in some parts of the Cebu City Sports Center.
Did Rama order a similar streamer displayed at the South Coastal Road? He disowned it and blamed politicking for it, so no surprise there. What would be surprising is if someone actually came forward and claimed responsibility for it as in, again, the case of that “Never Again” streamer which a civil society group admitted to setting up without any approval, tacit or otherwise—or so they claim—from Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III, who nevertheless approved of their action.
Whatever happens, Cebuano voters can expect more of the same or a variation of these gimmicks during the campaign season which isn’t long off. It’s up to them to decide if they’re worth the distraction.
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