Showbiz and politics make heady mix in RP

Showbiz and politics make heady mix in RP

By Malou Mangahas

MANILA (Reuters): Movies and TV networks have become a
breeding ground for politicians in the Philippines but critics
say that mixing show business and politics could leave voters
star-struck when election time comes around.

Joseph Estrada, former movie idol and ousted president, has
lost his lustre but more stars than ever will be jostling for
votes and public office in congressional and local elections on
May 14.

"These candidates are popular because they are often seen on
TV and the movies but running government is something else," says
insider Joel Lamangan, an award winning film director.

He and others say the proliferation of stars in politics
offers a distraction rather than a solution to the problems of
the people of the Philippines.

"When they've run out of movies or contracts, they turn to
politics, that's bad, that's not public service," says Lamangan.

Six senatorial candidates rating well in surveys are
television anchors, movie stars, or married to "megastars".
Dozens of other celebrities are running for congress, governor or
mayor across the nation and they all boast the perfect
qualifications.

Noli de Castro, ABS-CBN's highest paid and most popular news
anchor until this week, says he wants to be a senator to address
"in a new, bigger arena" the poverty and injustice he has seen as
a broadcaster.

Once elected, he says, his priorities will be "free education
for indigents, housing for the poor and the delivery of basic
services".

A consistent leader in opinion polls, De Castro was eased off
the new administration's senate slate after several non-
governmental organizations said he was pro-Estrada, a charge De
Castro denies.

"I don't owe any politician or party. I owe only the people...
I will be an independent and will not take sides," he said after
deciding to run as an independent.

The Estrada coalition slate has since adopted him as a
candidate.

Another hopeful, radio personality Ted Failon, told his
listeners he wanted to be governor of his home province "so I
could serve my people".

Estrada showed actors can go right to the top, rising to the
presidency with a record majority but 31 months later, he was
forced from office amid allegations of graft when the armed
forces rallied to his opponents following mass street protests.

Estrada denies any wrongdoing but the debate on whether he
enriched himself while in office is far from over, with his
opponents pressing for a corruption trial.

Fears of possible voter fallout against celebrity candidates
has not stopped the stars from trying to join a long-list of
former colleagues who have crossed into politics.

Two former anchors of ABS-CBN News, the largest TV network,
are now senators. In May, three more personalities from the
network are in the senate race. It they win, five of the 24
senators will come from ABS-CBN stable.

Five other ABS-CBN anchors and reporters are vying for other
positions and other TV and radio agencies have also produced
candidates.

But many commentators are not impressed.

"So much of TV news in the Philippines is entertainment
already," columnist Nelson Navarro told Reuters.

"The presentation of the news is market-driven. They cover
news and politics like they are selling soap and perfume."

Movie stars are crossing over, he says, "because they have
discovered politics is a better source of income... for movie
stars headed for the sunset, it's a way out of old age."

Lamangan agrees, saying only those qualified should run for
office, urging education to ensure a mature electorate.

Navarro says voter education must focus on "the poor who
worship movie stars". This was Estrada's power based.

"The years of political cynicism, graft and corruption, have
so bastardized politics. It's come down to a matter of
entertainment," Navarro says.

Stars in politics are "a function of a country that's
deliberately poor, an elite that is callous, and you offer
democratic rights as a farce." he adds.

"It's an imperfect system... the only saving grace here is the
transparency of it all," he says. "We can yell our heads off and
complain when we witness cheating in the polls."