“May bagong umagang parating, may bagong umagang parating.”
This is the soundtrack of Sen. Grace Poe’s recent political advertisement running on major television networks in the country.
The ad, which opens with a photo of the senator’s adoptive father late actor Fernando Poe Jr., features the song “Bagong Umaga” (New Morning) by Bayang Barrios.
The video shows a photo montage of Poe working at the Senate, her outreach programs, and her “surprise” Metro Rail Transit ride to check on the condition of the train and its passengers, among other activities.
READ: What Grace Poe saw when she took the MRT
The slogan “Walang maiiwan” (Nobody gets left behind) appears at the end of the clip.
But the “bagong umaga” concept, as proclaimed by the neophyte senator who topped the recent survey for presidential candidates for 2016, is nothing new.
“Bagong Umaga” was used by the older Poe, also known as “Da King” of Philippine movies, when he ran for president in the 2004 elections.
In a special report on political jingles published by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism in May 2004, FPJ was described as “perhaps the most ethnically Filipino tune.”
“Movie king Fernando Poe Jr. reinforces his persona as the unassuming Filipino everyman with the buoyant ‘Bagong Umaga’ (New Morning),” George S. Caparas wrote in “Songs in the key of politics.”
FPJ bowed to former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the race but not without controversy.
The father and daughter tandem, however, was not the only one that made use of the song.
In 2009, an aspirant commissioned the jingle to test the waters for a presidential run in 2010.
Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero tapped the song, which was a finalist in the 1996 Metropop Music Festival, for his political campaign.
His TV ad, which has three versions, opens with a graphic of a map of the Philippines showing Escudero speaking and shaking hands with the masses.
The TV ad ends with the slogan “Bagong pagbabago, para maiba naman” (New change; make it different this time).
The video could be accessed in a YouTube channel named after Chiz Escudero.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1MuOocXEmo
The political ad of Escudero, who served as FPJ’s campaign spokesperson, aired shortly after he announced in October 2009 his resignation from National People’s Coalition, raising speculations that he would run for president in 2010.
The senator, however, ended up endorsing then Sen. Benigno Aquino III for president and then Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay for vice president.
Eleven years later and a month before the filing of certificates of candidacy, it is now the younger Poe’s turn to exploit the “magic” of the song, and perhaps the memories of FPJ that come with it.
Though years apart, the execution of Poe’s and Escudero’s political ads shows a lot of similarities.
Poe and Escudero are believed to be running together, even though they say that they have yet to finalize their plans for the elections.
Even President Aquino has personally met with Poe and Escudero to discuss their 2016 plans.
Liberal Party standard-bearer and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, who enjoys the endorsement of Aquino, is wooing Poe to become his running mate.
READ: Poe, Escudero: No more 3 for the road; Roxas silent
But Poe has not yet issued a categorical response to Roxas’ invitation.
While she and Escudero have met with NPC stalwarts twice to discuss plans for 2016. Anthony Q. Esguerra/RC
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(This YouTube video uploaded in August 2008 by a user claiming to be a supporter of Fernando Poe Jr. shows images of the late actor during his presidential campaign in 2004 while the song “Bagong Umaga” plays in the background.)