THE dashing good looks of Canada’s prime minister and Mexico’s president have sparked the unlikely hashtag “#APEChottie” to go viral at a gathering of world leaders in the Philippines.
For much of the last week, Manila’s social media has been filled with tirades at the huge traffic disruption caused by security measures for the two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
But in the last day the mood has improved as Filipinos lose themselves in the dreamy eyes of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Enrique Peña Nieto.
Their arrival in the steamy Philippine capital has got tongues wagging and keyboards clicking, with both social and traditional media filled with compliments for the pair.
But on Wednesday various groups on Wednesday assailed the “inclusive growth” promise to member-economies of the Apec, including the Philippines, as “ironic” after the Aquino administration showered its foreign “bosses” with special treatment.
“The ‘Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better World’ theme of the Philippine hosting is ironic,” Sonny Africa of the economic think tank IBON Foundation said.
“The sub-themes of supporting SMEs, developing human resources, and resiliency sound appealing but should be interpreted in the context of the deeper exclusionary underdevelopment model that Apec is pushing.”
“Inclusive growth is just propaganda,” Ed Tadem of the Freedom from Debt Coalition said.
“There is no inclusive growth at all as we are being haunted with the same issues as before.”
The Philippine National Police, meanwhile, denied claims that the security preparations for the ongoing Apec Leaders’ Meeting were an “overkill.”
“We have standards in securing heads of state, and when you are securing 21 of them I think we should understand the level of security preparations and preparedness,” PNP chief Ricardo Marquez said.
“This is standard for all countries, so when our President visits any of their countries, the same level of security is also provided.”
For the diplomats, policy wonks and business leaders in Manila, US President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are the only show in town.
Not so for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, which put the Mexican and Canadian leaders on its front page and asked readers: “Are you with Team Nieto or Team Trudeau?”
Many Filipinos flocked to social media to declare which kind of political eye candy they preferred.
“Not sure if Canadian prime minister or Disney prince” wrote @imjesstorres on Twitter, adding the hashtags #APECHottie and #PrinceEricIsReal.
For @jochendria it was Nieto who came out on top.
“Trudeau and Nieto. Hmmm… I choose the latter. #APECHottie”.
“I’m sorry but he’s too attractive,” posted @anndiazpiquero, who used more than just words to express her admiration for Nieto and adding an emoji face with two hearts for eyes.
Facebook user Santi Galasi summed up the APECHottie phenomenon as follows: “An example of that wonderful Filipino trait where, despite being screwed over by circumstances, we find a reason to be happy.” with John Paolo Bencito and PNA