House of ill repute?

Sick of seeing congressmen portrayed as crooks in movies and television soap operas, a member of the Philippine House of Representative recently cried “enough is enough!”

Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga filed House Resolution 2140 appealing to local television and movie companies to stop typecasting members of Congress as villains and corrupt.

“These portrayals are unfair and, at the very least, sully the good name of honorable congressmen and congresswomen who work hard for the welfare of their constituents,” said Gonzales.

He said legislators are elected by the people and deserve respect, although he admitted that a small minority of them may have really been involved in crimes.

His appeal, however, was met with indifference, even ridicule, by the public and by congressmen themselves.

“We can’t help it because it’s true. There are representatives who are crooks and foolish,” said a congressman.

It’s art imitating life. Film and soap opera writers write what they think people will appreciate. And it’s a “given” – however painful for members of Congress – that many politicians “are corrupt.”

Here in the Philippines, the people don’t write their congressman; they talk and they tell jokes about the politician. And these get into the movies and soap operas.

Gonzales is not the only one complaining about being typecast. A blogger joked that crocodiles are also protesting their being portrayed as congressmen in political cartoons.