Zubiri: No such thing as ‘epal’

Former Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — If those who use advertisements in running for public office are not called “bugok” (good for nothing), they are swiftly labeled “epal” (credit-grabbing politicians), lamented former Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri.

In a press conference on Monday with fellow candidates under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), he told reporters that those terms were “unfair” to politicians running during the elections.

“Kapag wala kaming ginawa, sasabihin nila bugok kami. Kapag naman ipalabas namin na may ginawa kami, epal kami. Ano ba ang gagawin namin para mapansin ang ginagawa namin?” he asked.

(If we did nothing, we would be called good for nothing. If we show what we’ve achieved, we would be called credit-grabbers. What should we do so that our accomplishments would be noticed?)

UNA has earlier launched its television campaign ads which introduced its senatorial candidates even before the campaign period started. The move which was criticized by some quarters as early campaigning was defended by the coalition’s secretary-general Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco, who said that the Liberal Party was doing the same thing.

He said that there was no such thing as premature campaigning and that UNA had to start early as it lacked the ruling party’s campaign machinery. “Wala kaming laban sa makinarya ng LP, sa government funds. Tatapatan namin yan ng sipag.”

(We’re no match to LP’s machinery, its funds. We will overcome this disadvantage with hard work.)

“Let’s face it, candidates have to do certain things for them to be known. Does publicity work? Yes.” Zubiri said.

“Unfortunately, running for Senate is a popularity contest. Hanggang hindi nagbabago ang sistema, ganun ang boxing sa halalan (Unless the rules are changed, we would play the same game),” he said.