BASHED FOR HER LOOKS, BINAY LAUNCHES BOOK

She may not be No. 1 in survey results on leading Senate candidates but she’s happy her book made it to the best-seller list of National Book Store

WHILE some would fall into depression when bullied online, Sen. Nancy Binay chose to turn her experience with online bullies into something positive.

Binay, who is seeking reelection, was in Cebu on Monday, March 18, to launch her book “Make Love, Not War.”

“It is a ‘slam book’ type. I have tips on how to deal with social media bashing, how to have your friendship on social media. Yung side ko at yung side ni Senyora (My side and the side of my basher Senyora),” she said during her Cebu book promotion.

Binay admitted that even though she won as a senator in the 2013 elections, she had to deal with social media bashing because of her skin color and the way she dressed in public gatherings.

“I cannot control kung ano ang sasabihin ng ibang tao sa akin (what they say about me) but I can control how I react to it,” she said.

While some people said she timed her book tour with the campaign period, she explained that the book promotion was a “totally separate advocacy.”

“I am doing this for the online sales. Kung kaya naman ipagsabay with the campaign, bakit hindi? Nakakabawas nga siya actually ng oras ko devoted to campaign,” she said. (“If I can do it with the campaign, why not? It actually takes me away from the campaign.”)

As of this week, Binay said her book is No. 6 in the top 10 best-seller list of National Book Store.

“Kahit hindi man ako mag No. 1 sa Senate, at least mag number one tayo sa book,” she said, noting the recent Pulse Asia survey results on Senate candidates where she placed seventh. (“Even if I’m not No. 1 in the Senate, at least the book is a best seller.”)

Binay considered her second published book, “Make Love, Not War,” initially launched in Manila during the first week of December of last year, as a successful collaboration with her No. 1 critic Senyora Angelika “Ganda” Santibañez.

“Kaya ganyan yung title, eh kasi bina-bash nya (Senyora) ako,” she said. (“That is the reason for the title.”)

Senyora is a parody which became popular as the voice of a merciless haciendera.

Binay clarified, however, that until now, she has yet to meet Senyora in person.

“When we did the book, I just did my part. Medyo bina-bash pa rin niya ako, but not as intense as before,” she remarked laughingly. (“She continued to bash me but not as intensely as before.”)

The ABS-CBN Publishing book is sold for P185 each and is exclusively available in all National Book Stores.

Binay also introduced to media her first written and published book titled “Charcoal Confessions” which she termed as one of the real fruits of her love and labor. This book is yet to be released. “It contains 45 tips on how to survive social media bashing. This is the fruit of love and labor,” she added.

Binay will revise some parts of her first book in time for her 46th birthday on May 12.