2 | Philippine Popular Culture 13

UNIT 2: Entertainment and Fashion

1.0 Intended Learning Outcomes

a. Explain the reason why most celebrities and entertainers easily win during
elections and become politicians;
b. Analyse the dynamics of parasociality theory in the celebrification of
Philippine politics;
c. Articulate on the theoretical basis of the sustainability of ukay-ukay
fashion culture.

1.1 Introduction

The Philippines is a society enamoured by commercial entertainers and

celebrities whose means of living are to attract and collect fans and followers
through social and mass media. Their main goal is either to endorse commercial
products offered by their handlers and sponsors in the business industry or to gather
support for certain political and religious groups. The legacy of entertainment
movement was brought to the country by Spanish cultural influences through the
dramatic presentations of zarzuelas, dances, and romantic songs. Later, the
Americans added the Hollywood brand of entertainment as shown in their movies,
globally popular singers and sports icons. Pertierra (2021) reported on the
interrelationships between Filipinos celebrities, melodramatic culture and national
politics.

With entertainment and celebrities follow fashion arts. The latest fashion
craze among Filipinos is patterned from America particularly of the tropical
environment and style. Although American fashion maybe costly, its windfall has
come to the Philippines in terms of the imports of used clothing locally known as
ukay-ukay. Thus, the culture of entertainment and ukay-ukay are one of the ways to
cater to the artistic needs of the Filipinos. Biana (2020) has written about the
sustainability of ukay-ukay fashion in the country.

1.2 Discussion

Article 1:

In the Philippines, celebrity, melodrama and national politics

are deeply entangled
By Anna Cristina Pertierra

The international press has become very interested in Philippine politics since
Rodrigo Duterte was elected president in 2016. His controversial character,
apparent disregard for protocol, and the wave of deaths in his “war on drugs”,

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including extrajudicial killings, have garnered much more attention than the nation
is usually afforded.

The celebrity factor

Duterte is just the latest in a long line of macho politicians evoking cinematic
style. This formula has been successful in the Philippines since at least the
1960s when Ferdinand Marcos and his glamorous wife Imelda rose to power using
film-star looks and flashy performances to generate popular appeal. Duterte’s
reputation as a tough-talking man who takes no hostages echoes the imagery and
language of Philippine and Hollywood action film heroes, as reflected in his
nicknames: “The Punisher” and “Duterte Harry”.

It’s not just that Filipino politicians adopt the look and style of celebrities to
generate votes. In many cases, they actually were celebrities before they became
elected politicians. Actors, singers, comedians and news anchors frequently win
political office across the country. In the 2016 elections alone, 44 show business
celebrities ran as candidates at the national or local level. In a political scene that
continues to be dominated by dynastic families – many of whom control whole
provinces or regions – celebrities are often the only candidates who can generate
enough momentum to be elected.

Philippine senate includes Manny Pacquiao, a world champion boxer who

recently reclaimed his welterweight title belt in Las Vegas while on a short break
from his senatorial duties. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, one of the country’s most famous
stars, who for more than 30 years has hosted a high-rating noontime variety show is
also a senator.

Scandals and investigations

Rather than entertaining audiences on comedy shows or at sporting events, in
late 2016 senators Sotto and Pacquiao were on television screens across the nation
cross-examining witnesses in a televised inquiry investigating the killing of an
arrested mayor in his jail cell. Across the country, many Filipinos were transfixed by
daily proceedings that resembled a courtroom drama.

For several weeks, the private life of Senator Leila de Lima, who is a rare
voice of opposition against Duterte, was discussed in lurid detail in both congress
and the senate, where investigations were being conducted on the drug trade and
corruption in prisons. De Lima had previously served as the Secretary of the
Department of Justice, and had been accused of heading a drug trade through
prisons with the aid of her driver, with whom she admitted to having had a
romantic relationship.

This driver, after much evasion and complication, was brought to testify at
the house and senate hearings and claimed that he received bribes from drug
dealers. But de Lima and her defenders insist such claims are fabrications. The
televised senate proceedings also featured dramatic testimony from an arrested
druglord, Kerwin Espinosa, who wanted to atone for the death of his father by

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testifying against corrupt officials, and from the charismatic National Chief of Police.
A close Duterte ally whose nickname is “The Rock”, the police chief was moved to
tears while speaking to the senate, having heard testimony about corrupt police.

TV politics
It’s no coincidence that these political intrigues read like soap opera
storylines. Such melodramatic scandals are watched with great interest by
everyday Filipinos, who follow the storylines as if they were from a television serial.
Daily revelations and entanglements are discussed while people watch the live
streams or television broadcasts in living rooms, malls or restaurants, or listen on the
radio while travelling on public transport. Such conversations mix with celebrity
gossip and conversations about television as part of the fabric of daily life; people
speculate about the twists and turns of each day’s events and consider the personal
enmities and family histories behind political disputes.

The overriding themes of betrayal, revenge, secret love, and complex family
histories are the sorts of plot lines that frequently feature in the teleserye soap operas
– originally inspired by Latin American telenovelas – that play on Philippine
television channels at night.

Although at first glance, a senate full of television stars and sportspeople may
seem to be amusing buffoonery, this melodrama is in fact very serious business. In
a context where few politicians have ever delivered genuine reform to improve the
lives of Filipinos through actual policies, the emotional dimension of following the
ups and downs of political players in their television senatorial courtroom drama at
least offers some kind of connection for everyday viewers.

Observers note that pursuing senate investigations that explore the details of
a senator’s sexual life and televising testimony from alleged druglords, is distracting
politicians and the public from more serious issues. Within the Philippines, the
cycles of news stories created by senatorial investigations and presidential
pronouncements occupy at least as much airtime as stories of extrajudicial killings.
They also generate further discussion – and dispute – on social media.

Ties that bind

The melodramatic dimensions of Philippine politics are important to
understand because these are the emotional ties that push people to support
politicians in times of transition. Around the world, scholars have shown how
television programs make use of melodrama to convert their audiences into national
communities. The emotional impact of daily soap operas and other melodramatic
programs connect viewers at home to a public world in which political leaders and
advertisers compete for their loyalty.

But the Philippines has gone one step further in bringing together dramatic
entertainment and national publics. There, politics makes use of television
melodrama to keep citizens following the storylines. The Philippines offers an

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extreme example of an evolution of electoral politics that has been noted around the
world, with the mixing of entertainment media and political movements.

Donald Trump was able to parlay his mastery of reality television into
political success. And Silvio Berlusconi’s media empire was also an essential part of
his domination of Italian politics.

While mastering the art of public performance is part of any politician’s job,
populist leaders who rise to power as symbols of change have an especially good
talent for melodrama. They thrive on conflict, and they don’t shrink away from the
twists and turns of changing loyalties and personal vendettas.

Politics is a world for which show business celebrities are perfectly adapted,
and their predominance in the Philippines offers a glimpse of what TV populism
could look like in other countries.

Robin Padilla, Filipino actor, martial artist, film director, was elected rank 1 as
Filipino senator in national election of May 2022. By GMA Network

Follow Up:

1. Are you affected significantly by a celebrity in your life’s important decision?

Explain your answer.
________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

2. What should be the most importance quality of an ideal or preferred political

leader?

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 2 | Philippine Popular Culture 17

________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

3. Could the popularity of a person be considered essential in providing

leadership and service to the public? Why?
________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

4. What theory best supports the phenomenon of celebrity and melodrama in

Philippine politics?
________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

==============================
Article 2:

The Philippine Ukay-Ukay Culture as Sustainable Fashion

by Hazel T. Biana.

A study on the sustainability of fashion companies was conducted by Wang

et al. (2019). The study proposed a sustainable fashion index model that aims to
measure the sustainability of fashion companies. The model is interesting because of
its underlying theory, which provides necessary dimensions and variables that make
the fashion industry and its activities sustainable. This paper aims to employ these
dimensions and variables as theoretical concepts to evaluate the sustainability of
Philippine ukay-ukay culture. Ukay-ukay is a term used both for the act of
shopping by digging up piles of used or pre-loved clothes until one makes a good
find. It also refers to retailers of secondhand clothes and accessories in the
Philippines. The sustainable fashion theory posits that for fashion to be sustainable,
it must strive to achieve and balance specific economic, environmental, cultural, and
social objectives. As part of the three fashion business models, what then are the
relationship of the ukay-ukay to these other models, the fast fashion and luxury
fashion models, and how does it fare in terms of sustainability. Through theoretical
analysis of ukay-ukay’s quality and value, customers and relationships, processes,
expressions and meanings, and legalities and charities, this paper found that ukay-
ukay can actually be an alternative model for sustainable fashion with certain
limitations.

Conclusion: Updating Perspectives on Ukay-ukay Fashion

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 2 | Philippine Popular Culture 18

Although the world is concerned with redesigning or refashioning fast

fashion brands into becoming sustainable, the Philippines has somewhat perfected
the recycling and upcycling of throwaway or even luxury fashion. Given the ukay-
ukay lifestyle, some Filipinos have updated their own fashion senses through
ownership of “name brands” or signature clothes. The upside of that is that even
fast fashion brands (such as H&M or Zara) are sometimes considered as “luxury”
fashion clothes themselves in the ukay-ukay, thus turning into slow fashion in the
process. Although a person-on-the-street will never be able to afford an Oscar de la
Renta, Gucci, or a Louis Vitton, the ukayukay gives hope to the meager buyer and, at
the same time, gives second or third lives to these goods when resold over and over
again. The Philippines has a huge secondhand clothing trade, and, for more than
fifty years, secondhand clothing has been part and parcel of the consumer psyche.
The halukay or ukay-ukay culture is a way to meld quality and style while
maintaining one’s unique fashion sense—and keeping in tune with sustainability as
well. The environmental cost of ukay-ukay fashion is low, but it plays out well in
the cultural, economic, and social sustainability fashion theory. (At least for some
cultures!) The ukay-ukay profits through low prices and relative quality. The
perceived value of the products is attached to the “signatureness” of the
commodities. What may be lacking is the proper promotion of the pieces of clothing
considering its heritage and history. New cultural productions, which include
blogs, magazine features, ukay challenges, and YouTube tips and tutorials,
contribute to the ukay-ukay’s sustained profitability. One question that may be
asked is that if a fast and slow/luxury fashion company is not sustainable according
to the sustainable fashion index, how then does this affect the sustainability of the
ukay-ukay if a non-sustainable product is being sold there? If the ukay-ukay item is
not a Stella McCartney nor an Eileen Fisher, then is the ukay-ukay sustainable at all?
Suffice to say, the sustainability of the ukay-ukay is dependent on the continuous
revamping of fast and slow/luxury fashion companies towards improving their own
sustainabilities. Although this paper aimed to investigate the dimensions and
variables that constitute ukay-ukay fashion’s possible sustainability, it concludes
that it can actually be an alternative model for sustainable fashion but with certain
limitations.

Although the fast and slow/luxury fashion companies seek to combine

sustainability and addressing consumers’ desires simultaneously, their actions and
decisions, though small steps or full transformations, impact highly on the fashion
industry. One must not forget about other business models such as the ukay-ukay
that contribute to the changes that benefit the environment. Although the search
continues for more sustainable fashion, one must not limit oneself to traditional
fashion business models and also consider looking into the halukay culture.

Postscript: Ukay-ukay Sustainability During the Pandemic

In 2020, the novel coronavirus pandemic shocked the entire world and affected
the fashion industries. With lockdowns and quarantines in effect and social
distancing and sanitation measures as part of protocols, potential shoppers, be it in
ukay-ukay stalls or luxury shops, may not be able to physically purchase clothes.
Some ukay-ukay stalls were also shut down in some areas as such items are

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considered to be non-essential goods. The fashion landscape has changed as well

because there is no urgent need to be updated with fashion trends, considering that
majority of the people have nowhere to go and are encouraged to work-fromhome.
A new question then arises as to whether the ukay-ukay remains to be sustainable,
according to the sustainable fashion theory, in times of a global health crisis.
Economically, ukay-ukay online finds will still be less expensive than luxury brands
even during a virus outbreak. In the National Capital Region, although online
shopping portals were suspended for a short period of time, such were restored into
business after a few weeks. The same seller-buyer relationship dynamics and
flexible pricing schemes would dictate customer satisfaction. Again, assuming
people would be interested in purchasing non-essential items such as clothing or
accessories during a pandemic, the same customers would be loyal to their online
ukay-ukay vendors. One interesting ukay-ukay-influenced trend is the online
reselling of pre-loved items of Filipino celebrities such as luxury bags, helmets,
clothes, and accessories to raise funds for COVID-19 efforts. These goods are
considered sustainably safe during the pandemic as opposed to fresh illegal imports
from neighbouring countries. Considering that most businesses and various sectors
are revamping their models to adjust to the health crisis, the ukay-ukay model should
adapt as well by looking at ways to sell and acquire goods through alternative
means such as online portals, applications, or even bartering! Consequently,
although the fashion companies are suffering from the effects of the pandemic on
their sales, this could be a good time to reimagine sustainability along with the
changing consumer desires outbreak and post-outbreak. As the ukay-ukay is still
highly dependent on existing fashion companies for their merchandise, the changes
they employ in their business models would still have effects on the ukay-ukay’s
sustainability, COVID-19 or not.

=============================================================
Follow Up:

1. Aside from the fact its low cost, what other benefits does ukay-ukay have for
the consumer and the society, in general?
________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
________________________.

2. Would the fashion of ukay-ukay be sustainable in Philippine society? How?

________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

3. What theory best supports the fashion culture of ukay-ukay?

C. M. D. Hamo-ay
 2 | Philippine Popular Culture 20

________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

============================================================

1.3 References

Pertierra, A. C. (2021). Entertainment publics in the Philippines. Media International

Australia, 179(1), 66-79.

Pertierra AC. Entertainment publics in the Philippines. Media International

Australia. 2021;179(1):66-79. doi:10.1177/1329878X20985960

---------------------------------------------------------------

Anna Cristina Pertierra

https://theconversation.com/in-the-philippines-celebrity-melodrama-and-national-
politics-are-deeply-entangled-69656

1.3 References

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Biana, Hazel. (2020). The Philippine Ukay-Ukay Culture as Sustainable Fashion.
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Bhardwaj, V., & Fairhurst, A. (2010). Fast fashion: Response to changes in the fashion
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Buzzo, A., & Abreu, M. J. (2019). Fast fashion, fashion brands, & sustainable
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Milgram, B. L. (2004). Refashioning commodities: Women and the sourcing of

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1.4 Acknowledgement
The authors would like to extend their heartiest thanks and respect to all those
who provided help in the preparation of this module. The information
contained in this module were taken from the references cited above

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Unit 2 Assessment.

Part I. Multiple Choice. Select the letter of the best answer and write in a
separate answer sheet.

1. What are imported used clothing industry called in the Philippines?

A) Salvage
B) Ukay-ukay
C) Imported
D) Branded

2. What is the impact of nicknames like “The Punisher” and “Duterte Harry”
have on the people and mass media?

A) Generates love and devotion

B) Generates popular appeal.
C) Makes him notorious
D) Makes him wanted dead or alive

3. What is the other role of entertainers and celebrities who assumed dual role
as politicians?

A) They like to show their real lives

B) They conduct cross-examination like a court of justice.
C) They promote employment in showbiz
D) They like entertaining people like clowns
4. Which country is known as an extreme example of an evolution of politics
which is a mixture of entertainment media and political movements?

A) Philippines.
B) United States of America
C) India
D) Japan

5. Who is the Filipinos journalist who has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
2021 for fearless, independent, and truthful reporting of social issues and
challenges in Philippine society?—Maria Ressa
6. What theory attempts to view the connection between celebrification of

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entertainers and valuing public concern or political election through

illusionary intimacies?

A) Parasociality theory.
B) Mass society
C) Consumerism
D) Progressive evolution

7. What theory offers a lens of fashion as being democratized allowing masses

of people to afford inexpensive fashion-grade clothes.

A) Parasociality theory.
B) Mass society
C) Consumerism
D) Progressive evolution

8. Which of the following statements exemplifies the parasociality theory?

A) Celebrities are often the only candidates who can generate enough
momentum to be elected.
B) While mastering the art of public performance is part of any politician’s
job, populist leaders who rise to power as symbols of change have an
especially good talent for melodrama.
C) Across the country, many Filipinos were transfixed by daily proceedings
that resembled a courtroom drama.
D) For several weeks, the private life of Senator Leila de Lima was discussed
in lurid detail in both congress and the senate, where investigations were
being conducted on the drug trade and corruption in prisons.

9. What is the main factor for the high winnable chance of celebrity-candidates
during elections?

A) Popularity
B) Money and strategy
C) Public service strategy
D) Knowledge and skill

10. What other reasons, besides being low-lost, why ukay-ukay culture remains
popular?

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 2 | Philippine Popular Culture 25

A) Environmental (recycling and upcycling), and sustainable.

B) Fashionable and preferable
C) Durability and long-enduring
D) Body fit and comfort

11. Emmanuel D. Pacquiao, a multi-category world-boxing champion, has

become a successful political leader in the Philippines. What is the main
factor that made him a successful political leader?

E) Popularity
F) Money and vote-buying strategy
G) Public service strategy
H) Knowledge and skill

12. There are numerous family dysnasties in almost all parts and provinces of the
Philippines (esp. Samar), where almost every member of one’s family
becomes a politician in various levels of government. What could be the main
factor for their prevalence?

A) Popularity
B) Money and vote-buying strategy
C) Public service strategy
D) Knowledge and skill

C. M. D. Hamo-ay