Jingle All the Way: The Music of Philippine Politics

Music fills the air, filled with promises of a better future. Most make you cringe, as it’s literally a rehash of popular tunes with a few lines changed. There are, however, gems in the rough that are actually very inspired. All have one goal in mind: to be buried in your head, most of the time against your will.

You guessed it – it’s election season again, and political jingles are everywhere.

Every three years, political jingles mark the start of the campaign period. You hear them in roving motorcades, on television, and most recently, in all social media platforms.

Political jingles are an inextricable part of Philippine politics. They are part and parcel of every aspiring politician’s campaign. So it begs the question: what started this trend, and what value does it have to us as voters?

The Early Days of Jingle-making

The first to use political jingles was post-war Manila City Mayor Arsenio H. Lacson. Used in his campaigns was the “Lacson Mambo” which was straightforward, and had no political indications in its text:

“Let’s go dance the Lacson Mambo, Everybody wants to learn to do the Mambo Lacson Style”

However, this piece of music assured him of his victories in multiple campaigns, and paved the way for the use of jingles in Philippine Politics.

The most famous jingle of this post-colonial period, and some would say of all time, is the “Mambo Magsaysay”, which catapulted then presidentiable Ramon Magsaysay in a landslide victory in 1953. The song was so iconic that the moniker stuck with him throughout his presidency.

“Mambo Magsaysay” was a catchy little ditty made in the then popular Big Band Swing style, and had a very clear message:

“Everywhere that you would look, was a bandit or a crook

Peace and order was a joke, ’til Magsaysay pumasok

That is why, that is why, you will hear the people cry

Our democracy will die kung wala si Magsaysay.”

The success of Mambo Magsaysay sowed the seeds. The song paved the way of using music in campaigning, spawning a rich tradition which continues up to today.

Not all songs are created equal though, and there emerged three different types of political jingles. They were: (1) The Popular Rehash, (2) The Star-powered Jingle, and (3) The Truly Inspired Original.

The Popular Rehash

This type of jingle banks on popular tunes to provide instant recall for the public. Capitalizing on the phenomenon of Last Song Syndrome (LSS), these types of jingles are extremely effective. Voters remember them immediately since they are based on catchy and popular tunes, and most of the time they end up unintentionally stuck in people’s heads.

An example is 2007’s senatoriable candidate, Juan Miguel Zubiri, who used the popular Willie Revilliame Song, “Boom Tarat Tarat”.

It’s not limited to Filipino pop music – a favorite among jingle writers is the theme from Voltes V, which is indicative of the popularity of this anime among Filipinos.

The most infamous rendition is perhaps that of barangay captain hopeful Pepe Pacheco, who ran during the 2018 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls. It fully capitalized on the double entendre of Pacheco’s nickname, with, no doubt, the full intention of making the jingle go viral.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough for him to secure the post.

The Star-powered Jingle

Next is the political jingle that harnesses the power of celebrity musicians. Relying on the association of fame, this type of jingle is effective because the recall not just comes from the catchiness of the jingle, but also on the fame of the artist who endorses the candidate.

Take for example this 2007 ad from then senatoriable Edgardo Angara, by Filipino pop star Sarah Geronimo.

The beloved singer throws her full support behind Angara, saying that “sa iyo, ang tiwala ko; sa iyo, hangang hanga ako”. This line is a nod to Geronimo’s 2003 hit, “Sa Iyo”, so there is immediate recall for her fans.

Another example is this jingle of 2010 presidential hopeful Bro. Eddie Villanueva. Prolific Filipino rapper Glock 9 bannered the TV-evangelist in a 2-minute rap, saying that “sino pang may malasakit at pag-ibig sa bansa – sino pa? Eddie ako”.

The Truly Inspired Original

Then there’s the last type, the “truly inspired original”, which aims to get in people’s head with a completely unique tune. This type of political jingle relies on catchy melodies and sometimes over-the-top lyrics to really cement the recall with the voting public.

A great example is this 1992 jingle for Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who was then running for president. It’s set in the catchy alternative rock style from this period, complete with guitar riffs, which made it immediately relatable to the public.

It highlights the candidate’s supposed good qualities:

“Siya’y maka-Diyos at makatao, Matalino at determinado

Dapat lang sa halalan, Kay Miriam tayo”

More than a decade later, and this tradition of highlighting a candidate’s qualities persisted. A lot of really good jingles were released in the 2010 presidential elections, but this one from then senator and presidential hopeful Manny Villar really takes the cake.

Who can forget these iconic lines, sung by children wistfully staring at the camera while swaying to a hopeful, pop backing track:

“Nakaligo ka na ba sa dagat ng basura?

Nagpasko ka na ba sa gitna ng kalsada?

Yan ang tanong namin,Tunay ka bang isa sa amin?”

It pushed the brand that the candidate was presenting, hinting that the candidate is “one of us” – tunay na mahirap.

Resonating with the Voting Public

This is not meant to be a comprehensive categorization of the political jingle as genre, as these are just few of the myriad of examples of jingles throughout the years. Hopefully this small selection highlights how candidates use political jingles to both introduce and imprint themselves in the minds of the voting public.

At the end of the day, judge candidates based on their jingles, but make judgment with a grain of salt. If anything, these creative ads should help you decide. Is their platform reflected in their jingle, does it present a stance contrary to their promises, or is it really just a catchy LSS-inducing track?