VP Binay, can I nt be ur txtmate?

I kind of hate it when I get promo messages through text, especially for things I’m not interested in. No, I don’t want a bank loan, I don’t have enough points to redeem stuff from Globe, and I’m pretty sure I didn’t join a contest at Prudential Life for any sort of prize. But what gets the cake is the Binay texts. From researching on the Internet, I learned that I’m not the only one who gets them. A lot of people, strangers to me, get them too. Here are some of the texts I still have in my phone:

Pulse Asia Survey – VP Binay maintains high performance and trust ratings, at 83% and 81%, respectively. – 0917-344-3080

VP Jojo Binay is encouraging everyone to VOTE for the Puerto Princesa Underground River as one of the World’s New 7 Wonders of Nature. Text PPUR 15 to 2861 for Globe, Smart, or SUN. You can text many times & everyday until September 25, 2011. The 7 winners will be announced on Nov. 11, 2011 (11-11-11). Please encourage relatives, friends, & every concerned Filipino to vote. This is also in support of P-Noy’s effort to put the country in the map & bring to attention our beautiful country. Thank you. -0915-613-4112

I’ve received messages like these since election season in 2010. Back then, they were obviously propaganda, saying things about Korina Sanchez even. (If you remember, her husband Mar Roxas was in a close fight against Binay for the VP position.) I would get them at least once a week, until the end of elections.

These days, I get a text now and then. I remember reading one after he came back from China when he tried to deal with the executions of the three Filipinos for drug trafficking.

My question is: Why?

Why do you need to publicize your work in such an in-yo-face manner? I guess stamping every lamppost, trash bin, residential address number, etc. in Makati with a ‘B’ isn’t enough. I didn’t sign up to be in your text blast list, I don’t even know how you got my number. If I wanted to know what you’re up to, I’d follow you on Twitter. Or I’d read the newspaper. The VP gets so much press coverage anyway.

However my research tells me that the office of the VP isn’t actually behind these texts. That’s what they claim. Either way, I hope they’re not using taxpayers’ money to fund these activities.

At the very least, they should use unlitext, like that other Vice.

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