The Becoming of Leni Robredo

            While I was browsing one of Leni Robredo’s Facebook pages for campaign, I noticed these two familiar materials. These were viral photos of Leni waiting for a bus (around December 2014) and where she refused passing the red carpet last SONA of 2015. Upon seeing these materials, it hit me that these are not those who went viral anymore. These are ideologically imposed materials trying to go with our “common sense” in the becoming of another Leni Robredo.

            First, the very essence of candidness was taken out. It opened up to me now that these could all be just parts of the becoming from the start. I may be wrong but it’s still something to think about. I would also clear that I am not an anti-Leni and I might consider giving her my vote. The texts of these photos are my only concern.

Last year, although I hated the media attention it received, I did admire Leni for waiting for a bus… period. But today I’m asking, who took this photo last year?  I don’t think a random citizen did because Leni was not that popular then like Anne Curtis for an ordinary person to take a stalking picture of her in the street and upload it in social media. It was taken by a certain Keisha Del Castillo and upon “stalking” her Facebook, all her public posts are about the campaign and TV guestings of Leni. The next one taken last SONA gained mixed opinions from the people and I would side in the argument that if she was really hiding from the spotlight, she should not have posted this picture. In effect which I believe was hoped for, she gained way better attention than those who passed the red carpet. To me it was brilliant, she became a separate news apart from the usually news items about the SONA red carpet. He had her own “red carpet moment” right there.

My concern now is that despite question of candidness of these two viral posts, these are now used as an advertisement which to me confirms to be simply part of her becoming. Both materials have texts saying “Kongresista ng Camarines Sur. Kampeon ng good governance. Kakampi ng magsasaka. Kaisa ng kababaihan. Kalaban ng political dynasty. Kaaway ng corrupt.” that positions Leni just like any political candidates. These are way too familiar lines, way too familiar imposing of ideologies that a candidate should be this and that. The only thing sure and justified there is that Leni is Camarines Sur’s Congresswoman. Only the familiar image of Leni makes the materials different with labeling “At kapag nag-aabang ng bus sa gabi patungong Bicol, karamay ng bawa’t Pilipino” and “At kapag dumadaan sa likod ng Plenary Hall imbes na sa red carpet tuwing SONA, kasama ng bawa’t Pilipino”. Leni might have some concrete achievements when it comes to governance, agriculture, women, anti-political dynasty and corruption but it is unfair for her to have those viral acts as achievements and unfair for the voters to think that a candidate’s humility is the standard of voting instead of a side personality. The dominant system still reflects that we vote more by heart than mind, how we like a person for his/her personality than what they can do. Who knows, humility can be deceiving. That is why I liked Gen. Antonio Luna’s leadership despite his “despicable” attitude.