The recent forum titled "The Promise and Limits of Political Advertisement" tells it what it is.

With electric power, appliance financing and purchasing power made through OFWs, many homes now have television sets. It is one medium that has reshaped the nation's way of national political campaign. It has made the old method of shaking hands and doing political bombasts on rugged platforms in the hinterlands and boondocks - a Jurassic activity.

This is not to say that party machinery (to guard and buy votes), radio and print advertisements no longer have a dent in generating political mileage. Or that the alternative communication tool like the Internet through personal computers will lose its luster even before it shines dramatically. But television, let us admit, is the Big Thing.

Pedigree, of course, helps. Without a Macapagal "recall-strength" to her name, the former DTI official named Gloria Arroyo may not have made it to public office. In her first attempt at the Senate, GMA almost didn't make it at 13th place only.

The new propaganda blitz anchored on the "Nora Aunor" look-alike imagery, propelled GMA into the top of the Senate heap - and instantly made her a natural candidate for higher office. GMA thence became vice-president, running alongside now bitter critic Joe De Venecia in 1998 - and the rest is history.

Political advertisements, in a way, level the playing field. No longer are actors, sportsmen and popular media icons who lord it over in the popularity contests. Notice how it propelled a political upstart like Lt. Trillanes to shot the lights out off popular names like actors Richard Gomez and Cesar Montano in the last elections.

It may have been the final chapter for actors running for high national offices (senator upwards) and that Showbiz Era probably died with the literal demise of Fernando Poe Jr. and the conviction of former president Erap Estrada. The actors can still run for local office, true, and may have more than a Chinaman's chance to snatch victory there. Not for national office.

The days when actors like the Chairman of the Committee on Silence Lito Lapid and the Chairman on Little Bills Bong Revilla would romp away in a senatorial election is now a thing of the past.

Senator Mar Roxas, who had long ago extrapolated his journey into the Palace, reportedly laid franchise claim on the right advertising mix. He was dressed like "masa," had a popular cause as price watcher in "Mr. Palengke" and had a danceable tune in "Mr. Suave" that jettisoned the rich Araneta scion into the top of the Senate in 2004.

Senate President Manny Villar, somehow copied the "Roxas Formula," and did reasonably well in the 2007 elections (3rd place) is his "Sipag at Tiyaga" theme. Senator Joker Arroyo somehow insulated himself from a "graft-ridden" administration by shoving his "Pag Bad Ka, Lagot Ka" tag line, subliminally hinting he will not spare the administration crooks.

Sharp spin-masters explained that Senator Ralph Recto who has a politically-pedigreed name, a respectable Senate record and a Vilma Santos for a wife was felled by his own propaganda. Hounded for being the senate author of the VAT law that raised basic prices of goods and services, Roxas used his TV ads to explain stubbornly why he fought for the VAT.

The people voted him out of his office for his principled honesty. Pundits believed Recto would have been reelected if he chose to stay quiet on the VAT issue - as his survey ranking was a bit high at the starting line.

Senator Loren Legarda is a political phenomenon. On her first try at the age of 38 years old, Loren topped the senate race in 1998 with 15 million votes and again in 2007 with 18 million votes. Legarda is the only woman in Philippine history to have topped the senate race twice.

Loren used native dresses with "Leron Leron Sinta" catchy Tagalog ditty changed to "Loren Loren Sinta" at one point. Experts believed that what one advertises - however - should be consistent with the actual behavior and performance of the candidate.

Loren apparently kept her caring, committed image with legislation and even television advocacies that placed priority on the environment, children and women rights, education and the peace process. And consistently at that.

Vice President Noli de Castro is another media idol who was able to translate his advocacies and even hoi polloi ways into winning points to endear himself to the teeming masses.

In other words, there is a limit to spin sorcery and using smoke and mirrors gimmickry.

Candidates Chavit Singson and Prospero Pichay (big spenders both nearing the P100-million mark) did not register with the voters as having inconsistency in their ad claims and their actual lives or performance. Both lost in the 2007 elections - politically and financially.

The new election star is Senator Chiz Escudero who parlayed his image as representative of the new breed of politicians: young, intelligent, articulate and committed to place 2nd in the 2007 race. Chiz was soundly received by the voters whose age profile is getting younger every year with our high population growth. He was the youth's champion and the adults' Sir Galahad - the young warrior.

These new-fangled notions about the limits and promise of advertisement against a maturing voting populace will henceforth be analyzed with studied focus as we approach the 2010 presidential elections.

The LP (Roxas) and NP (Villar) had not hidden their endorsements of their would-be-standard bearers in 2010. On the side, senators had endorsed products giving them television exposure: Roxas for a detergent, Legarda for a skin product and toothpaste (in the past), Pia Cayetano (Downy product), Lacson for a facial care and Gordon for a health soap.

MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando and Red Cross Chairman Dick Gordon, of course, take all opportunities to propagate their face and recall every step of the way.

But they must pick up their one lesson quick: sound and fury signifying nothing is meaningless.

Both form and substance must be there. There are limits to what smoke and mirrors strategy can do.

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