Zugunruhe is a scientific term used to describe the migratory drive in animals, especially birds. The instinct for survival is an innate characteristic which all living beings share. Now we also see this behavior at play in the political arena. Politicians agree that election campaigning is a media war. These months will see that coming war as the May 2007 Elections looms near... and that has caused the
zugunruhe of politicians to a new battlefield: the
INTERNET.
Senatorial candidate and House minority leader Francis “Chiz” Escudero has migrated to the World Wide Web for his campaign. According to
GMA7, he is the first Filipino senatorial candidate to use live Internet technology to explain his platform of government.
He has already launched his
official website and
FRIENDSTER account [
hats off to him... Friendster is probably the most widely visited site by Filipinos with over 5 Million users. His first account is already full, by the way, so he made another one...with already a friend count of 740.]
Escudero said:
“The Internet is the best way to reach people outside the country and share ideas with them in real time. Through this technology, I hope to hear what is on their minds. I am ready to answer questions they raise and explain my stand on issues relevant to my candidacy.”
Already
more politicians are hopping on the internet bandwagon, after all it does level the playing field since the internet and its innovations, like blogs and
podcasting, can be availed of without spending as much resources as one would normally spend on traditional campaigning.
According to the rules of the Commission on Elections and the Fair Elections Act, national candidates are limited to 120 minutes of television broadcasting time, and 180 minutes for radio. Asked whether these rules allow the poll body to regulate political advertisements appearing on the Internet, Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos replied: " How can we control that? We have no jurisdiction [on the Internet]."
As usual, the law is slow on its feet, it has yet to catch up with this technological evolutions. But how does one regulate political advertising on the internet without bashing heads with Constitutional issues, like freedom of speech. I feel this is just the beginning. But as early as now, one can hear the warhorn sound in the distance...
"Evolution is imperfect and often a violent process. A battle between what exists and what is yet to be born. Amidst these birth pains, morality loses its meaning, the question of good and evil reduced to one simple choice: survive or perish."
-from "Heroes", episode6
