Sound bites: from God to EJKs, ‘pepe, dede’

WHY have these lines become memorable, seized on, talked about and passed on? More recent examples of successful sound bites:

[] “You enjoy human rights there in heaven. Kasi God promised that all victims of EJKs (extrajudicial killings) will go to heaven.” — President Duterte, Aug. 5.

[] Those who say return the P60 million, “mamuti na ang mata ninyo (hindi mangyari yan).” — Ben Tulfo when reminded of his promise to refund “unlawfully” earned money to the government.

[] “I-pepe, i-pepe, i-dede, i-dede... ipederalismo.” Drew Olivar, co-host of Mocha Uson in a video show.

Con t r over si al

They’re powder kegs of controversy:

[] Human rights and EJKs have been a raging issue and it’s the president talking, plus the element of God and heaven. And the implausibility of it: sure to grab attention and set off conversation.

[] The spending on tourism promotion that COA found irregular, by tourism chief Wanda Tulfo-Teo who had to resign because of the scandal, involving one of the Tulfo brothers, the DOT head’s siblings who routinely get in and out of trouble.

[] Tapping Uson to “lecture” on federalism had already set off a furor. Then came a video that she played in her online show that showed (a) abysmal ignorance of the proposed new government (b) gross offensiveness by referring to sexual body parts: vagina and boobs.

Sounds from Duterte

Other common elements of a good sound bite: short, pithy, direct.

President Duterte’s statements that get into the papers and replayed on YouTube are snippets from his often rambling speeches. Reporters recognize it when they hear one. And it’s the sound bite their audience remembers and his critics pounce on.

If nothing else will, the cursing often does the trick. U.S. president Harry Truman once said, “Do what is right and let them go to hell.” A lot milder than Duterte’s cussing and lent weight by his choice of target: Pope Francis, Barack Obama or the chairman of the European Union. And who wouldn’t sit up and pay heed when the highest official of the land spews out threats to kill and expletives in the same breath?

His current flak on the “God of Catholics” sends nervous jitter through the church hierarchy but is lapped up by media and their consumers.

Blunt, colorful

Tulfo used an ancient Filipino idiom which means it won’t happen: your eyes may turn white but it won’t come. Doesn’t mean the same as the western saying, said by a general, “Don’t fire until you see the white of their eyes.”

The broadcaster who managed to get the multimillion-peso contract from his sister, the DOT chief, sent his message across more bluntly and with more color.

“REMEMBER your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”

“Whatever brought you to the top should sustain you there.” The values that brought you to your position must be maintained; otherwise, you will be displaced. Character plays a major role in leadership. A thief is a thief wherever you place him, a noble is a noble regardless of whatever station in life you find him.

The choices we make, the way we deal with others, regardless if they are superior or inferior, the way we live our lives, these simple things speak of what kind of leader we are. “We are leaders on our own right” as they say, and we play one of the two major roles a leader plays – we either waste the life of the good men around us or transform and empower the lives around us to make a difference.

The first type of leaders wastes the life of good men around them because they are not built in character before

He won’t return the money, not ever. Determination and defiance expressed in a short line.

Two personas

The sound bite though that has jolted netizens and sent them scrambling for hurtful and poisonous prose was not said but sung and danced to as well.

Mocha Uson’s co-host mined two sexual words — genitals and breasts — and set them in a song-and-dance act.

Uson’s explanation couldn’t stand the wind of protests that lashed at their Aug. 5 performance.

They did it on their own, Uson said, and no government money was spent. But how do we set apart the two personas when she does an offensive blog: Uson the private citizen and Uson the PCOO assistant secretary?