The Philippine Online Chronicles

The country is now trapped in a war of colors. The busy metropolis is now filled with with photoshop-perfect posters of candidates. This clash of colors, which will be resolved on May 10, is supposed to bring a great change to the country. Petty as it may seem, these colors may determine the future of the Philippine government.

As the campaign period for the national and local election continues, candidates take on different strategies to attract public attention. There are posters, stickers, billboards, tarpaulins and even banderitas (flaglets). However, the cheapest campaign strategy is color association.

Campaign color for this election is hyped a notch higher. Liberal Party standard bearer Sen. Benigno Noynoy Aquino has seemingly patented yellow, to easily associate bloodlines with parents Cory and Ninoy. Running mate Sen. Mar Roxas chose to stick to his color last election - blue.

Sen. Aquino made yellow his trademark color after his mother Cory Aquino died. Yellow became the popular anti-dictatorship color in 1986 when she ran for presidency during the snap elections against Ferdinand Marcos.

Sen. Manny Villar used orange for his presidential campaign, for continuity from his previous campaigns.

Nacionalista Party’s vice presidential bet Loren Legarda made use of green to emphasize her environmental advocacies. Her use of the color didn’t bother Lakas-Kampi’s standard bearer, former Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Gibo Teodoro who is using the same color in a lighter shade for his campaign. Even Bangon Pilipinas’ presidential bet Brother Eddie Villanueva preferred the color green to represent his Diyos at Bayan general platform this election.

Former Pres. Joseph Estrada of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), who  claimed to use orange as his campaign color for his entire political career, accused Sen. Villar of snatching orange.  According to Estrada, he was the first to use orange during his campaign way back in 1998. He also emphasized that he was the first to launch his presidential campaign in Tondo, even before Villar did.

“I’ve been using orange as my [campaign] color since 1986. When I ran for senator, it was orange, for vice president, orange. When I ran for president in 2008, orange was still my color. So, who is imitating whom?” Estrada said.

He added though that he has no hard feelings about Sen. Villar and said that every candidate is to choose campaign strategies.

“It’s good that we’re being imitated. Maybe they’re impressed with us,” he said.

MMDA goes green too

The city turned pink under former Metro Manila Development Authority chief Bayani Fernando. Now it’s going green, literally, under newly appointed MMDA head Oscar Inocentes

MMDA started to install green urinals in replacement of the old pink ones. They also started repainting foot bridges with green and blue. To the dismay of many, the MMDA has also put tarpaulin banners that read: “Maraming Salamat Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sa Footbridge na ito” (Thank you for this footbridge President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo).

Coincidentally, administration presidential bet Teodoro’s campaign color is also green. According to presidential economic spokesperson Gary Olivar, the Executive Department doesn’t mind if MMDA structures are green because aside from its pleasing effect on the eyes, it may also have a positive effect on Gibo’s campaign.

“Well, if that is the unintended but positive consequence of the decision being made, then we should probably be appreciative of that consequence happening,” he said.

The change in MMDA’s hue from pink to green started when former chief Fernando announced that he was running for vice president under Bagong Bayani with standard bearer Sen. Dick Gordon.

Fall of yellow?

After the news that Sen. Villar ranked first in the latest presidential trust rating polls by Pulse Asia, Liberal Party started to doubt the effect of “Cory magic” on her son Noynoy.

Sen. Aquino used "yellow magic" for his presidential campaign. Literally, he’s painting the town yellow and adorning the streets with yellow ribbons which first became famous during the EDSA People Power Revolution.

Last November, Noynoy led by 20 percent among the presidential aspirants. But his ratings slowly decreased in the following months while Villar’s rose by 12%. On January 22 to 26, Aquino and Villar were statistically tied. Noynoy got 37% while 35% preferred Villar for president.

According to LP spokesperson Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tanada III, the party recognizes that the magic which made them choose Aquino to run may be taking its toll.

"I would acknowledge that [Cory magic wearing off on Noynoy]. But the symbolism of what Cory stood for is what Noynoy stands for," Tanada said in an interview.

This is a forewarning for LP, according to Yolanda Ong of Campaigns and Grey, Aquino’s PR agency. She said the “Cory magic” might fall over but the public should watch out for “Noynoy magic.”

"Maybe we would now focus more on what Noynoy intends to do for the country," Tanada said in an ABS-CBN news interview.

This election’s campaign color feud practically revolves - from green and yellow, to orange and red, and back. As for the candidates’ political agenda, it’s pretty much the same too.

Campaign color recall is the easiest way for voters to remember a candidate. Whether it is as neutral as white or as vivid as violet, what is important is for the public to know the real color and intents of candidates.

Photo by Jeff Werner c/o Flickr. Some rights reserved.