Nancy Binay Dark Skin Colour Jokes Divide Filipinos

A day after the Philippine electorate was shocked by the strong showing of 40-year-old Opposition senatorial candidate Nancy Binay, the vice president's eldest daughter braced herself for more criticisms over her lack of qualification for public office.

She didn't directly address the numerous racist jokes circulating in social media about her skin colour, but she was quoted as saying she is bracing for more brickbats thrown her way.

On Wednesday, the exasperated future senator decided she had enough and hit back at those making fun of her dark skin. In a tweet, she said in Filipino, "Some of the jokes border on being racist. Ironically, majority of Filipinos have the same skin tone. I don't understand their hatred for my colour."

As Ms Binay tightened her grip on her fifth rank with 12 million votes, so did the racist jokes multiply and worsen on social media sites.

Meme makers, for instance, rode on a joke that when Nancy was campaigning in Quiapo district, people suddenly approached her and wiped her face with red handkerchiefs, normally an act of devotion to the statue of the black Nazarene.

Just days before the election, Vice Ganda, a popular gay comedian, said he will not vote for Nancy because of her lack of qualifications.

Hours after the voting precincts closed and Ms Binay had a high ranking, this meme came out.

To prevent flying voters, the Commission on Election requires those who have finished filling up their ballots to have their finger dabbed with an long-lasting violet ink. In the case of Binay, a different finger marker was allegedly used.

Those who do not believe she will make a good senator either agree with the Time magazine satire that 12 million Filipinos who voted for Ms Binay are a bunch of idiots or there was massive cheating.

Some Filipinos have accepted that Nancy won fair and square, but it seems the list excludes fellow female senators who still see her as a 20-year OJT and do not belong to their caste.

Ms Binay admitted that while she looks forward to begin her three-year term, she is intimated by the feisty Miriam Defensor-Santiago, whom some Filipinos are counting on to mince the neophyte senator in debates.

In Twitter, the skin colour jokes has divided members of the popular microblogging site into pro- and anti-Nancy Binay jokes.

There is almost an equal number of those who had enough of the racist jokes and call on Filipinos to go beyond Nancy's dusky complexion. Here are some of those tweets.

"Kaya wala ngyayari pag-unlad sa bansa dahil puna at panglalait ... Go Nancy Binay wag mo patulan. (That's why the country does not progress because all we do is criticise and look down on others ... Go Nancy Binay don't stoop down to their level)." - Jailine130

"I think below the belt na ang ibang jokes kay Nancy Binay." - Gali Bels

"All these Nancy Binay jokes about her being dark is annoying me already." - Shailah Briones

" Nancy Binay jokes about her being black is becoming outrageous. It's just a color! What happened to the revolts against racism?" - Dia Blanca D Lao

"Guys, I think it's time to move on. Tama na yun (enough of the) tasteless jokes about Nancy Binay. Let's not be like grade school." - Veegee Cabugao

On the other side, there are those who insist that the jokes are funny and could even be shared around the family lunch, as what BellaaBeee and others tweeted.

"Nancy Binay and other election-related memes and jokes are cracking me up!" - Gab

"Maitim ako (I am also dark skinned) so I'm bracing myself, for Nancy Binay jokes are on their way." - Phillipe Quintos

Others suggest that the Nancy Jokes be compiled an be made into a humour book, just like what former President Joseph Estrada did with jokes about his broken English.

If it is any comfort to Nancy, another senatorial candidate is also the butt of jokes, not because of his skin complexion but due to his nickname, Dick, which is slang for penis.

The candidate, whose real name is Richard Gordon, is on 13^th place so far with 9.12 million votes while the 12^th placer, Gringo Honasan, has 9.6 million which leaves Gordon an almost equal chance of making it or not to the top 12.

However, his situation is not lost on creative minds who made the following meme about Dick.

(Translation: I am the only Dick who could not enter)