The Pink Movement Was No Match Against The Black Propaganda Machinery
To answer the question bluntly: It was not enough.
I posted this a few days before the election. At that time, I held on to the narrative that the votes for Leni and BBM will be a “statistical tie” even if there was no conclusive evidence to support it. Leni will win–that’s what I felt, but I didn’t know it as a fact. The question was more rhetorical than an inquiry that requires an answer. It was meant to encourage hope but now it just backhand-slaps me big time.
But the Pink Movement not being enough is true, not because there is an inherent deficiency in what we all did; it’s just that we are up against a colossal force. Arguably, there are things that we could have improved, but even doing so could only sway only that much of voters. Mind you, we are outnumbered by 16 million. I think no additional campaign strategizing in a limited span of 7 months could ever match a by-product of decade-long propaganda machinery.
What we need to hold on to is we did great. That is not a consolation statement. If you look back, all the elements in this movement could have defeated any rich and powerful candidate for any election. Leni and Kiko visited the most number of places among all candidates; even vote-rich places were visited more than once. This is the first time in election history that it was mainly volunteerism that fueled the campaign. The endorsements of Vice Ganda, Piolo Pascual, Ely Buendia, KathNiel, Andrea Brillantes, Ivana Alawi, etc., targeted specific demographics. We have the backing of big groups covering social, political, and religious inclinations; even technocrats and academics expressed support as well. And we have a set of Tropang Angat candidates with little to no baggage at all. We have the truth, justice, and history on our side. So if we’re speaking about voter conversion, we have all the right tools to convince people–a compelling reason to vote for Leni, a campaign reach stretching from every house to house, very influential people amplifying Leni’s credentials, and every unique and creative campaign material you can think of (Rosas by N. del Rosario is and will always be our anthem!).
So why was the Pink Movement not enough in convincing voters?
Because the black propaganda machinery made sure that they’d be resistant to this. Their scheme is disgustingly cunning but undeniably effective. They did this on multiple fronts:
1.) Discredit our main sources so that when we present them, they’d reject them immediately. Mainstream media is biased. The supreme court ruling is not final. Books were made in favor of the Aquinoses. Lawyers, journalists, economists, and experts are all “bayaran.”
2.) With #1 done, create an alternative source of information. Target and capture Class C, D, and E through social media. Bloggers, YouTubers, and SMNI, among other things, are now their main resources. The youth was their market in their Tiktok presence.
3.) With #1 and #2 in their arsenal, and with a big help from Cambridge Analytica, rebrand the image of the Marcoses. Create different narratives that will make them the victim, the heroes, the royalty wealthy, and the messiah. I can’t emphasize this enough–this is marketing 101 + heavy data science.
4.) Hire troll farms as attack dogs against the opposition. Outsource the hate speech so that the Marcoses can maintain their branding from #3. Red-tag, harass, distract, and exhaust those who fight back. Should they continue pushing back, harp the message of unity. “No to negative campaigning.” This is sophisticated gaslighting.
5.) Ally with the power-hungry. Because even if they have different interests in mind, as long as it gives them additional power, they will join forces. Have these allies get into position, and infiltrate our institutions. This happened in increments until lo and behold, they have embedded their accomplices throughout the entire government system. What they lost before, what we rebuilt and used to seek justice, they now have in their hands–institutional power.
All of these combined expanded their sphere of influence. But it came to them as a surprise that the Pink Movement was able to achieve the same thing during this campaign period on such a big magnitude.
Leni said, “Tumindig kayo; tinitiyak ko, mayroon ding titindig sa tabi ninyo.” And the people who are fed up did rise and rally behind her. This scale of support was unprecedented, something that BBM’s camp was not able to anticipate. or a moment during this election season, you felt their panic; they readjusted and maneuvered. In response, they merged power among political elites, they started replicating the optics of drone shots in sorties, and sadly, they intensified their black propaganda.
And they won. All because of the time horizon they invested a decade ago. They invested time to cultivate an ecosystem that is impenetrable from external influence and has a belief framework that is solidified from the inside; a single message will bounce back again and again within its network of propagandists. It’s like a speeding vehicle that can’t be derailed no matter how much we bump into it. A gentle tap to hit the gas can already propel them miles ahead.
This explains the overwhelming 31 million votes and how we miserably lagged. The Pink Movement tried to convert as many voters as we can, but the Uniteam’s momentum is unyielding; we only manage to chip off a few. We may have the right vehicle for the race but they have a solid headstart. We may be driven by the most qualified candidate out there, but we are in unfamiliar terrain–one that the Marcoses made for their run. At the end of the day, the election has a time limit. And Bongbong Marcos made his move way before the race has even begun.
Read more of Andrew’s work:
Andrew Beso is a Manila-based content creator who is exploring different ways of sharing art — whether it be written, spoken, or visualized. Aside from being on Medium, his work can also be seen on Youtube, Instagram, and Tiktok.
He is using his undergraduate and master’s degree in Economics and Political Economy, respectively, in discussing social issues through creative expressions.
