There is really no point in defending Noynoy’s now famous campaign ad because it speaks for itself. Yet with all the buzz going on in and out of the mainstream media and in the internet about this very much talked about music video, it’s hard to ignore the impact it generated to both pro and anti noynoy camps. Of course, some anti-aquino out there would always wield their fangs and claws to attack me and tell me bluntly that this post of mine is another biased effort to lean towards noynoy, but hey, are the pro villar, pro escudero and pro erap has the sole monopoly of opinion? taking my cue on Barrio Siete’s current tag line — Imbalanced News, Biased Views, I dare speak out my mind.

So the Critics of the Aquino camp simultaneously launched their black propagandas at the instant that this video was first seen on ABS-CBN. It is as if they felt threatened by its message, delivery and of course the star studded content of the 3 minute music video. Why threatened?

I have watched the video over and over again to the point of saturation, but I cannot see anything wrong with the video. The anti-aquino’s on facebook, twitter, youtube and forums were particularly uncomfortable with the parade of big stars and celebrities in the ad including Mega Star Sharon Cuneta, Song Writer Ogie Alcasid, Teleserye king and Queen Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes and the talk king Boy Abunda. But what’s with the fuzz about the big stars?

First and foremost, the talkative sister of Noynoy already cleared that it was the stars who volunteered for the video. They were not forced, asked or paid, but with their own free will extended their support to the point of publicly exposing them in the ads.

What the critics doesnt know is that, before the shoot even began, Noynoy had a private dinner with the stars. The dinner according to starlet Anne Curtis was for the purpose of knowing Noynoy and not to persuade them. In the said private dinner, the stars interrogated the reluctant presidential candidate. They asked his plans and platforms so that they will know better the person they are supporting. And after that dinner, they were given the choice to join the ad or not. And the result was the said ad we are seing today on TV.

Comedian Aiai de las alas was even asked by Kris Aquino twice if it will create a controversy for her since the ad will come up on tv before the showing of her film with Joseph Estrada who is also a candidate for the Presidency. The Comedian replied that since the EDSA days, she has already been a pro-aquino and doing the ad is her personal choice and her relationship with co-actor Joseph Estrada is a non-issue with regards to her political convictions.

You see, these stars volunteered freely. If you were in the shoes of the Aquinos, and these stars are offering their support freely, wouldn’t it be rude to decline knowing that their only intention is to show everyone what they believe in? Like us private citizens, we are fond of putting banners in our houses of our supported candidates. So what’s the difference? it just so happens that these stars opted to be in the banner rather than putting the banner on their houses.

So the reason that Noynoy is “NOW A TRAPO” because he uses stars in his ad is I think immature and a narrowminded reason, perhaps even a sourgrape and a cheap shot to put down aquino’s credibility.

I am apolitical, until Noynoy came into the picture. So the awakening of a political fervor in these stars is inferior to our own political awakening as private citizens? Stars have the same plotical rights as ours, the only advantage is, they have more responsibility to their fans in terms of public opinion. And participating in the ad is a silent opinion that they are supporting a cnadidate who they believe is worthy of their votes. So whats wrong with that?

The reason that Noynoy is using these stars in garnering votes is off tangent. Even before the ad showed on National TV, Noynoy already took lead in the survey, trampling the other candiudates to bite the dust. So simply saying, Noynoy’s ad is only the icing on top of an already delicious cake which is Noynoy himself.

Puke and vomit if you must, but we can never ever deny the fact that more and more public figures are now supporting Noynoy. Even Fidel Ramos’ niece lambasted his own uncle and pleaded to support Noynoy instead. In fact, Tattler and Uber Blabber Kris Aquino confided already on the newspapers that the ad we saw is only the first batch of stars. Expect more and more big names will surface on Noynoy ads as the Campaign gets tighter. Its inevitable. We have to face it. More and more public figures wanted to share themselvs for FREE!

So what’s threatening about the ad?

1. It is none divisive like the other political ads which pitches the poor against the rich
2. It is not defamatory, it doesnt say anything against any political rivals.
3. It’s void of subliminal message. What you see is what you get
4. It touches the heart and sentiments of the Filipinos, longing for unity and change
5. Its a message of hope clearly seen in in the backdrop of darkness and illuminated by the lights that emanates from the torches.
6. Its not deceitful. There is no “Paid for by friends of Mahoma”. It enlists the actual supporters in enumerated names scrolling upwards at the end of the video. And the names are not fictitious. You can go to youtube, enlarge the video and push the pause button: you can read the names of the actual supporters of the ad one by one.
7. It doesnt make empty promises. The video clearly hopes for a change.
8. The message is not self-serving– it doesnt only focus on Noynoy but on the entirety of the filipinos– soliciting support to everyone, rich and poor alike.
9. It doesnt exploit the plight of the Filipino people like in the case of some ads that uses Ondoy and poverty as their selling point.
10. it captured the most sincere expression of Noynoy… look into his eyes, it says everything. Only people full of hate and with an IQ of a doorknob cannot know the difference between the sincere and the insincere.
11. The ad is focused on the meaning and not on the stars themeselves. Majority of the comments I read focused more on the message of the video rather than the stars themeselves showing up on the ad. The stars are only enhancements of the already meaningful video.
12. The video says it all. No agument needed.

Understandably, any trapo who spent billions in campaign ads who found out that his ad suck, would really be threatened on a music video interspersed with tantamount of meaning, familiarity and Pinoy sentiments. Like what a Comelec official said in an interview by a GMA 7 reporter on prime time news, “Campaign Ads should carry the over-all message of the candidate because at the end of the day, it is the sentiment that touches the heart and soul of the Filipino People that matters”. —-The same sentiments that made EDSA 86 possible and restoring democracy in our country.

Contrary to accusations, the Noynoy ad is non trapo. Trapos sell themselves on ads at the expense of the poor filipinos plight, our misfortunes, catastrophes and the likes, only to find out that they are all empty promises. Trapos spends money “buying” celebrities for support. Trapos use issues to the point of slinging mud on other candidates by saying “double meaning statemensts”. Trapos shows videos of numerous engagements, shaking hands with the common tao and panning shots of people in political rallies. Noynoy’s ad had none. From the Director, to the composer of the song (which is alcasid) to the advertising agencies and crews who united in order to come up with such a beautiful video, they all freely gave their time, talent and treasure— no deals nor exchange whatsoever— Just like the spirit of EDSA 86 that we have come to know in our history.

And just like Jim Paredes’s Love Song to the Country immortalized in “handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo”, “Hindi ka nagiisa”, will become the battlecry of those people who want change– not Brains, Not Credentials, Not Skills, Not Platforms and definiteley Not experience but Change. For all we know, our Current Leader Gloria and other political cndidates has everything from Brains to credentials and to experience but there is one thing lacking: Change!

So what’s wrong with Noynoy’s Campaign Ad?

It threatens the insecure, it triggers the crabs, it shakes the foundation of the powers that be and it crumbles the pride and hubris of every political rival… it is the antithesis of trapo ads…