Behind every president is a simple slogan that embodies and forwards their causes to the masses in as few words as possible. Some proclaimed the candidate's greatness, while others were promises waiting to be fulfilled. As Halalan 2022 approaches, let us revisit some of the most noteworthy and historic presidential election slogans.
Tama na! Sobra na! Palitan na! - Corazon Aquino, 1986
“Tama na! Sobra na! Palitan na!” (“Enough! It’s too much! It’s time for a change!”) was the battle cry of former president Corazon Aquino as she ran for office in 1986. Spearheading Filipinos who yearned for the end of a dictatorship, Aquino’s slogan was a stark contrast to that of her rival: the then-incumbent president Ferdinand Marcos.
Implied in the slogan was a promise of change, that the laws and the intent behind those enforcing the laws would be different now. President Aquino painted an image of a changed Philippines. In fact, her campaign slogan hinged on and referenced the vast difference between her and Marcos.
Erap Para sa Mahirap - Joseph Estrada, 1998
As a populist leader, Joseph Estrada portrayed himself as the common political trope of being an ambassador of the vulnerable and the needy. Despite the accomplished pool of candidates, including Miriam Defensor Santiago and Juan Ponce Enrile, Joseph Estrada won the election by a landslide, securing nearly forty percent of the votes.
Estrada, a former actor, was already well known by the population for his many movies and concretized his popularity with his promises of hope to a generation bankrupted by their situations.
In the end, perhaps, it was the magnitude of his popularity and the blatant deception and corruption hidden in his slogan that sparked the second EDSA Revolution.
Tapang at Malasakit - Rodrigo Duterte, 2016
Infamously blunt, President Rodrigo Duterte despised meaningless rhetoric. His no-nonsense policies were reflected in his slogan—although whether or not he fulfilled the standards he set for himself is debatable.
Duterte’s personal views on politics were embodied best by this slogan, and news about what type of a president he would be spread like wildfire. His popularity among the Filipinos in 2016 cannot be denied, as he topped the polls with a whopping thirty-nine percent of the votes. For the most part, Duterte has held up his promise of sarcastically bold remarks about serious events, cracking jokes about world leaders on live television—unmindful of the potential consequences.
Husay at Tibay, Dapat si Leni!, Gobyernong Tapat, Angat Buhay Lahat - Leni Robredo, 2022
Despite the popular hashtag “#LetLeniLead” blowing up over the internet, Robredos’ catchy alliteration and rhyme were first showcased in her three original campaign slogans: “Husay at Tibay”, “Dapat si Leni!”, and “Gobyernong Tapat, Angat Buhay Lahat”. Promising skill and strength, she used the first to combat sexism towards her by always following up her response with a list of her accomplishments. The second is self-explanatory, and the third slogan called out the corruption in government to forward one of her main causes—recuperation from the pandemic.
Distancing herself from the Liberal Party, Robredo chose pink as her campaign color to solidify her political affiliation as an independent candidate. #LetLeniLead was a trending hashtag for weeks, symbolizing unity and assent over a certain portion of Filipinos. Implying both change and leadership potential, her more popular campaign slogan, #LetLeniLead, has gone viral on multiple occasions, even replacing her original slogan in fame and popularity.
Sama-sama tayong babangon muli - Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and Sara Duterte-Carpio, 2022
Translated as “together we will rise again”, Marcos and Duterte-Carpio’s slogan alludes to their push for nationalism and national unity. This is also emphasized in their rallies, where they both stress the need for recuperation from the pandemic. With some similarities to former U.S. President Trump’s slogan (a.k.a. “Make America Great Again”), this slogan evokes a sense of nostalgia for days passed and ties in with the pair’s promises to uphold or bring back the policies of their predecessors. Sometimes sung with a song at their political rallies, “sama-sama tayong babangon muli” forwards both the message and the vision of the candidates it represents.
Campaign slogans contribute more to a candidate’s run than simple novelty. It is the most accessible form of novelty and the shortest possible advertisement. They have made campaigns accessible to the masses by informing them of the candidate’s intentions in the most palatable way possible. However, these mottos must not be taken at face value, and further assessment of the values implied in these slogans is necessary for an election to be fruitful. Yet, when much time has passed, these campaigns will likely only be remembered in the most concise medium of expression: a campaign slogan.