Sotto warns vs using politicians in COVID-19 vaccine infomercials

FILE — Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III. (Henzberg Austria/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Saturday cautioned against using politicians in vaccine infomercials, saying it could just turn the public off.

“Pangit na suggestion ‘yun. Bakit gagamitin mo ang mga pulitiko?…Maiinis pa ang tao doon. Apat na pung taon ko ng pinupulsuhan ang masa, alam ko ang ayaw nila at gusto. Ayaw nila noon, ayaw nila. Hindi tatalab ang infomercial mo pag ginamitan mo ng pulitiko,” Sotto said in an interview over DWIZ.

(That’s a bad suggestion. Why use politicians?…It will not sit well with the public. I’ve been gauging the pulse of the public for 40 years and I know that they won’t like that. The infomercial won’t be effective if you use politicians in it.)

“Sayang ang pera, believe me. Bakit sayang ang pera? Magka-cancel out. Ano ang ibig kong sabihin? Merong maniniwala, merong matu-turn-off. Kinansel-out mo lang, nagtapon ka lang ng pera,” he added.

(That would be a waste of money, believe me. Why would it be a waste of money? There are people who may believe the message, but there will be those who will be turned off.)

This, when asked about a suggestion for President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo to release a “joint public service announcement” that would boost public confidence in the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.

Sen. Joel Villanueva made the suggestion last May 20, saying that the two highest officials in the country are the “living proof that vaccines do no harm.”

But Sotto suggested that athletes or famous personalities be included instead, saying that the public may view infomercials with politicians as a form of publicity.

“Gumamit ka ng karaniwang tao. Gumamit ka ng mga kilalang tao na nirerespeto, lalo na yung hindi konektado sa pulitika, yun ang gamitin mo. Bakit mo gagamitin yung mga pulitiko? Plugging pa yun eh, halatang-halata naman,” the Senate leader said.

(Infomercials can include normal people or famous, respected people, especially those who have no connections with politics, that’s who you should include. Why would you use politicians? That’s plugging, too obvious.)

“Gumamit ka ng sikat na basketball player, softball player, volleyball player, gumamit ka ng ganoon, na hindi pulitiko as much as possible. Pagka ganoon, may kasama ng karga yun eh, hindi na maganda,” he added.

(You could use famous basketball players, softball players, volleyball players, people like that, as much as possible not politicians, there’s something that comes with it, it won’t look good.)

CFC