Senatorial Candidate Nancy Binay on Permanent Friends, Political Dynasties, Those Famous Memes

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Nancy Binay has remained pretty much below the radar for most of the last six years she’s been in the Senate.

The few times she’s been the center of attention was unintentional on her part, as armchair warriors bashed her sartorial style, more specifically, her outfits during the annual State of the Nation Address (SONA). In 2014, Binay wore a barong top with a skirt she had neglected to tie properly. She instantly became an Internet meme, with people comparing her to a circus tent, a hot air balloon, and Princess Fiona in Shrek. A year later, when Binay wore a more traditional terno, she was compared to film villains Mystique (X-Men) or Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty). At the most recent SONA, when she wore a powder blue gown, she pre-empted her bashers by admitting she matched the carpet of the Senate Floor.

In the past weeks, Binay has been again been the target of online bashing, this time by pro-administration netizens, after she called for a total ban on the entry of Chinese construction workers to protect Philippine jobs. “Our duty is to protect our own workers and provide job security to them,” she said. President Rodrigo Duterte has said he cannot deport Chinese workers in the Philippines, as he is looking out for the jobs of 300,000 Filipinos in China.

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PHOTO: Joseph Pascual

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Tangentially, Binay has been in the news over the last few months, because of a rift within her family caused by local politics. Her younger sister, Abby, is running for reelection as mayor of Makati, a post their father, former Vice President Jejomar, held for six terms. Nancy and Abby’s only brother Junjun, a former mayor of Makati, has thrown his hat into the ring for the same position. Their father, who originally said he would let the voters decide, now publicly supports Abby, while Nancy has endorsed Junjun.

In spite of the rivalry, Nancy says her brother still attends the weekly Sunday lunches at her parents’ home next door. “May semblance of normalcy pa naman,” she says. Of her sister, Nancy candidly says, “matagal na yung strained relationship namin. Nahaluan pa ng politics, so it’s kind of complicated, but at the end of the day we’re still siblings, right? The effort will always be there to try and patch things up.”

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We sat down with her at her home in Makati.

ESQUIRE PHILIPPINES: How grueling has the campaign been?

NANCY BINAY: I’m not part of a slate so I can keep my own schedule. I sometimes travel with Manong Johnny (former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile), or with whoever is available. Iba-iba. Sometimes I go with my reelectionists: me, Grace, Bam, Senator Villar. Minsan we have events na all together. Like we’re all going to Bukidnon since Senator Migs is hosting an event for us. Sometimes I’m with Manong Johnny. Sometimes nagkikita kami ni Grace, since same boat kami. We’re both not part of a slate.

Manong Johnny (Enrile) is 95. I’ve been traveling with him. Omigod, he’s super strong. Ako nga yung nahihiya. I’m the one who has to step up. Ako, pagkatapos ng motorcade, rest muna. But siya hindi, go go go pa din. I think vitamins niya. The other week, we did a sortie. He flew into Bacolod, took the ferry to Iloilo. And then I met up with him to go to Cebu, and then we did a two-day sortie dyan sa province. Kung ako lang yan umuwi na ako. Iba pa din to go back home, recharge. I try to go home every day as often as I can. I have four kids. My youngest, the twins are 10. I like coming home to be with them.

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ESQ: So you get along with the senators from different parties?

NB: We have a group called seatmates. Me, Migs (Zubiri), JV (Ejercito), Sonny (Angara), Sherwin (Gatchalian). Then there’s an older part of the group, Senator Villar, Sen Gordon, and Sen Loren (Legarda). In the Senate we’re all seated together, so seatmates ang naging pangalan namin. When we’re in session, we see each other about four times a week.

One thing I’ve learned from being in politics for the longest time. Our family life has been blended with politics since the time Dad was mayor. In politics there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies. Hindi ka puwede magtanim ng sama ng loob because you don’t know, the next week kayo na ang mag best friend or you have to work together for an advocacy. That’s the reality in politics.

ESQ: Have you had to make compromises?

NB: Sometimes there are things you have to compromise to pass a bill. Hindi puwede always yung version that you want. You have to give up certain things to pass a certain law. Give and take naman. Yung yung art of politics. Up to what point, can you compromise to arrive at a certain result. At the end of the day you have to think, ano ang nakakabuti sa marami?

ESQ: What accomplishments are you most proud of in the last six years in the Senate?

NB: I’m proud of my active participation in the Senate. Presence ko during hearings, attending bicam hearings. I’ve been absent just two or three times per session, very rarely late, maybe two or three times. I don’t have perfect attendance like Senate President Tito Sotto who is always there, but my attendance is very good.

I don’t feel comfortable taking credit for whatever bills are passed. The Senate is a collegial body, so everything is a concerted effort. For example, the bills on universal health care, on maternity leave, on the first 1,000 days. We all worked hard on those bills. Mga bills for women and children, because when I ran in 2013, that was my advocacy.

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PHOTO: Joseph Pascual

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"Up to what point, can you compromise to arrive at a certain result. At the end of the day you have to think, ano ang nakakabuti sa marami?"

The centenarians’ act, I copied that from Makati. During my brother’s term as mayor, he started giving P100,000 to people who turned 100 years old. I made it national. So now there is this program for the national government. Everyone who turns 100 gets P100,000.

Recently, maternity leave has been expanded from 60 days to 105 days. The one I filed was for 120, but the one that passed was for 105. I was co-author of that bill. There is also the Healthy Nanay and Bulilit act, which provides nutritional supplements to babies and mothers during their first 1,000 days, and free pre-natal care to mothers.

ESQ: How did you choose your advocacy for women and children?

NB: I’m really a Mom before anything else. Before I was in politics, I was a full-time mother at one point. I would drive my kids to school and wait for them till they got out. Their school was in Quezon City then. I couldn’t afford to go back and forth, so I would drop them off and wait for two hours till they were done. The needs of a mother are what I know. That’s why I focused on mothers.

ESQ: You were a full-time mother. What made you decide to enter politics?

NB: I never planned on being in politics. Sometimes I think si Lord is playing a joke on me. Number one, I don’t like talking in public. I freeze, I black out. My Dad has been in politics almost 30 years. Whenever my Dad or Mom wouldn’t be able to go to an event, I was never the one who would substitute for them. It was my other siblings who would talk in public. I would be the one behind the scenes, arranging the schedules, kung may collaterals or materials na kailangan. And then in 2013, of all na sa aming magkakapatid, ako pa yung naging national.

ESQ: Did your father encourage you to join politics? Because of your name?

NB: My Dad was totally against my running. The story was, before the 2013 elections, someone put my name on the survey. Everyone was surprised by the results because I did well for somebody who wasn’t even in politics.

I admit I have the last name, but it doesn’t follow that just because you have the last name you will do well in the surveys. My numbers were good. I requested to please take out my name since it may seem that may ambition ako to run for office and it really was not part of my career path.

But then with every survey, paganda ng pagada yung numero ko. I said I am not running. I will just help the party, and be the deputy of Cong Toby (Tiangco), who was the campaign manager. I said I would be the deputy secretary general of UNA and then the assistant campaign manager of Cong Toby.

PHOTO: Joseph Pascual

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"I’d been a private person my whole life, away from the limelight, and then suddenly…. Till now, I still don’t get it."

Joey de Venecia was part of the slate and the team was supposed to file on a Monday. Then the Friday before, he called my Dad and told him there was this opportunity he couldn’t pass up, so he was going to concentrate on work and business and forego his political career.

The team was set to file that Monday and it wouldn’t look good to have an empty slot. They talked to other candidates. They all said no. They said it was too late to enter the campaign, and their numbers in the survey were not good, it would be too hard to catch up. So Toby looked at my numbers and there was a better probability of me getting in. So he talked to me and asked me if I could run.

I said I had to talk to my family since my daughter was totally against it. She was 10 at the time. Eventually my daughter said yes so there was no more excuse.

ESQ: And then you came out Number Five, and you were suddenly in the public eye.

NB: I’d been a private person my whole life, away from the limelight, and then suddenly…hay! Not just Makati, but national! Till now, I still don’t get it.

ESQ: At one point you became a meme.

NB: When I was running in 2013, ako yata ang nagpauso ng meme. Because when I was running I would get all those kinds of memes. I appreciate the effort. Kasi 'di ba, sino ba ako na nag-aaksaya sila nang panahon nila. To bother to look for my photos, to think about how to do that meme. You can’t do a meme in five minutes.

When that SONA outfit brouhaha happened, my biggest concern then was the designer. Kasi ako, I can take it, but siya, kawawa naman. It was partly my fault since hindi ko nasuot ng tama. I wasn’t listening when he explained it to me. There was a cord pala in the skirt and it should’ve been pulled in. I just realized nung naghuhubad na ako. Ano bang tali na ito? Part pala nung outfit. Hindi pala dapat ganoon yung look. My mistake. And then it became a meme.

PHOTO: Joseph Pascual

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"I don’t want people thinking it’s okay for people to get hit because of their skin color, but on the other hand, I don’t want them to think that I spend time getting bothered by those attacks."

There was one with Shrek, the other a Pokemon princess, merong parachute, maraming variations ng outfit. And then my daughter talked to me. She said, ‘Mom, when you’re interviewed about which one is your favorite, choose the Pokemon princess.’ I said, ‘why?’ She said, ‘she’s very strong.’ So I knew my daughters can deal with it.

My sons tell me, ‘Mom, your memes are so funny.’

ESQ: You don’t get bothered at all?

NB: I don’t let it bother me, but it doesn’t mean I don’t get bothered. It’s hard to balance things. I don’t want people thinking it’s okay for people to get hit because of their skin color, but on the other hand, I don’t want them to think that I spend time getting bothered by those attacks.

So I’m having a hard time balancing that kind of message. Na, huwag mo nang pansinin, but at the same time, pansinin mo kasi they might think I’m tolerating that kind of behavior.

I wrote a book. I came up with 45 tips on how to handle social media bashing. It’s how to deal with bullying online. It was supposed to be released last year when I turned 45. If it’s released this year, there will be 46. Wala pa, but soon.

ESQ: Meanwhile, you’ve just released another book, Make Love, Not War.

NB: You celebrate your skin color that others make fun of. It’s about accepting yourself whatever you look like, whether you’re dark or white or short or tall.

ESQ: If you do win a second term, what projects would you like to push for?

NB: The past three years I’ve been the chair of the Committee of Tourism, so I’d like to focus on that. My course in college (U.P. Diliman) was Tourism. Ang laki ng potential ng tourism.

We learned a lot from the Boracay experience. We’ve been developing sites with no tourism master plan. We spent so much money on marketing, encouraging people to visit the island without even knowing its carrying capacity. We developed an airport, 'di pala kaya. We didn’t even know the carrying capacity of the island. If I’m given the chance, 'yun yung tututukan ko. The development of tourism.

I’d also like to promote local fabrics and local designers, following in the footsteps of Senator Loren Legarda. 'Yun daw yung ipapamana sa akin. Time out siya sa senate kasi ngayon, so she’s been encouraging me to continue her advocacy. I try to wear local as often as I can. I’ve been traveling around the Philippines visiting weaving centers. It’s been so interesting to see them and how to figure out how to create more markets for them.

But there are so many complex problems, like for example, Mindanao silk. Nagiging chicken and egg problem yung industry. The weavers, ayaw nilang gumawa ng madaming fabric dahil baka walang bumili. And yung mga designers naman, hindi sila maka-order because they don’t know if the supply will be sustained for them to use for their designs, so they decide not to choose those materials. 'Yun yung naging problema.

PHOTO: Joseph Pascual

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"When everyone was ganging up on Leila de Lima, I approached her in the Senate and I told her, 'don’t worry, lilipas din yan.' And she said, 'I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that ganito pala.'"

I visited this silk farm near Cagayan de Oro, where they grow mulberries, yung kinakain ng mga silk worms. Yung facilities, panahon pa ni Imelda Marcos. Yung staff, tatlo na lang. Yung office nila, sinara na. Sayang naman.

I feel there’s renewed interest when it comes to local fabrics. I’ve been to the town of Argao, where they’re developing their weaving industry. The mayor said the weavers are protected and are paid well, so the industry is sustainable. Because there are some fabrics that are sold for lots of money when they get to Manila, but the income doesn’t trickle back down to the weavers. The weavers should also be paid well.

For example, there are brands like Filip+Inna that take care of their weavers and embroiderers. They are paid by the stitch. They are so beautiful! But not everyone is like that. There are other workers that are prone to abuse and exploitation.

I would love promote local fabrics and wear more local designers, I think that would be good. I just don’t want the designers to be bashed again! But maybe I can make use of the attention and flip it so people will notice the materials and the fabrics. That would be good. I have some fabrics from Ifugao that are very beautiful and can be worn to the office. I would like to see them become more mainstream, more everyday wear.

ESQ: You were the first woman senator who came out in defense of Maria Ressa.

NB: Coming from the 2016 experience of my family, when the rule of law was stretched to harass my family, I don’t want other people to go through the same thing. When everyone was ganging up on Leila de Lima, I approached her in the Senate and I told her, 'don’t worry, lilipas din yan.' And she said, 'I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that ganito pala.'

Ako kasi, let’s not use the rule of law for political purposes. The same way with Maria, medyo weird in the span of a year, ang dami nang cases. Kami rin, in 2016, we experienced that with my family. Parang may semblance of rule of law that was stretched.

It was the first time in the Senate when there were more than 30 hearings for a local issue. (Editor's note: From 2014 to 2016, the Binays were investigated by the Senate because of a parking building in Makati.) Sayang because may mga projects na naputol because of that. If my Dad was not running for a higher office, I don’t think the attention would have been there. Part of the game, lahat puwedeng ibato.

PHOTO: Joseph Pascual

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"It does not mean that if you carry the same last name, mananalo ka. At the end of the day, it’s the choice of the people."

ESQ: Your Dad is still in the game. He’s running for Congress, you’re running for the Senate, your siblings are running for mayor. Isn’t that creating a political dynasty?

NB: What is the definition of a dynasty? It’s a birth right, something you pass on automatically to the next in line, like in a monarchy. Like when Queen Elizabeth passes away, ibibigay niya automatically kay Prince Charles, 'di ba?

In politics there is no such thing. We go through a process. We campaign. We introduce ourselves to the people. At the end of the day, it’s their decision, if they want to vote for us or not.

Mali yung definition to call us a political dynasty. For my part, I had to prove myself that I deserved my position. My siblings did the same. Lalo na sa local elections, araw-araw, ikot nang ikot, in the morning, house-to-house, in the afternoon, may rally. Liniligawan ang mga voters to vote for us. It does not mean that if you carry the same last name, mananalo ka. I know a lot of political names na hindi nananalo, because at the end of the day, it’s the choice of the people.

In this story: Produced by Clifford Olanday • Photographs by Joseph Pascual • Interview by Yvette Fernandez

This story is part of our ongoing series featuring the candidates of the 2019 Philippine Senate Elections. For more, click the links below:

Samira Gutoc: "People on the fringes like us cannot participate fully."

Bam Aquino: "It’s a disservice to our country and democracy if the senate becomes monolithic."

Erin Tañada: "Stick to the core advocacies that you believe will uplift the lives of people."

Serge Osmeña: "You just hope that the people will see right, rather than see emotion."

Dr. Willie Ong: "Should I change myself in order to please them to get the votes?"

Florin Hilbay: "When I talk about the poor, I am talking about my own experience."

Bato dela Rosa: "I don’t think I will win much support when it comes to legislating the death penalty for corrupt politicians"

Sonny Angara: "I’m here because I want to do things. It’s as simple as that."

It’s about accepting yourself whatever you look like, whether you’re dark or white or short or tall. —Nancy Binay, Senatorial Candidate

ESQUIRE PHILIPPINES: How grueling has the campaign been?

ESQ: So you get along with the senators from different parties?

ESQ: Have you had to make compromises?

ESQ: What accomplishments are you most proud of in the last six years in the Senate?

ESQ: How did you choose your advocacy for women and children?

ESQ: You were a full-time mother. What made you decide to enter politics?

ESQ: Did your father encourage you to join politics? Because of your name?

ESQ: And then you came out Number Five, and you were suddenly in the public eye.

ESQ: At one point you became a meme.

ESQ: You don’t get bothered at all?

ESQ: Meanwhile, you’ve just released another book, Make Love, Not War.

ESQ: If you do win a second term, what projects would you like to push for?

ESQ: You were the first woman senator who came out in defense of Maria Ressa.

ESQ: Your Dad is still in the game. He’s running for Congress, you’re running for the Senate, your siblings are running for mayor. Isn’t that creating a political dynasty?