MANILA, Philippines – Love it or hate it?
On Thursday, December 10, 2015, lifestyle magazine Esquire Philippines released the cover for their coming December 2015-January 2016 Meaning of Life issue on their Facebook page.
The presidential candidate is featured smiling at the camera wearing a simple polo shirt and sporting a Santa hat.
The post says, "The man from Makati shares where he’s been and what he’s learned in this ESQUIRE exclusive."
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<div id="fb-root"></div><script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/EsquirePh/posts/1038864499497513:0" data-width="500"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/EsquirePh/posts/1038864499497513:0"><p>We end this year with another thought provoking issue. We’ve featured presidentiables (reluctant and otherwise) on...</p>Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EsquirePh/">Esquire Philippines</a> on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EsquirePh/posts/1038864499497513:0">Thursday, December 10, 2015</a></blockquote></div></div>
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On December 4, 2015, Twitter user Ix Cepeda (@ixrated) predicted the effect the cover would have on the public:
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The cover of the December-January issue of <a href="https://twitter.com/EsquirePH">@EsquirePH</a> is sure to cause a ruckus. I bet my life on it. </p>— Ix Cepeda (@ixrated) <a href="https://twitter.com/ixrated/status/672664605433323520">December 4, 2015</a></blockquote>
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True enough Esquire's Facebook post has attracted a number of comments; with a number of netizens referring to the Vice President as as Dr Suess Character known as "The Grinch":
"Oh nice! Reminds me of the Grinch" and "Di sya Santa sya si Grinch" said a couple of commenters. (He's not Santa, he's the grinch)
One Facebook user questiond Esquire's judgment on the cover asking, "This is what you put out after Marian's issue? Wow. Did you really even consider Christmas when you thought of this?"
While a few others took to the comments section to defend the Vice President:
"I actually like the thought-provoking covers of Esquire. Huwag muna mag-assume hangga't hindi pa nababasa yung content (Don't assume until you've read the content)," says one such commenter.
The reactions have also started to spill into Twitter, where Esquire has yet to post the cover (as of writing).
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/EsquirePH">@EsquirePH</a> is known for its sarcasm. Maybe, underlying tone for this is "the grinch who (literally) stole Christmas. <a href="https://t.co/Rb9ZlpAOfL">https://t.co/Rb9ZlpAOfL</a></p>— Fei Fei Sunshine (@ihateposh) <a href="https://twitter.com/ihateposh/status/674938613323440128">December 10, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congratulations <a href="https://twitter.com/EsquirePH">@EsquirePH</a> for always doing what others cannot. Thank you for serving the country with thought-provoking articles!</p>— janyx regalo (@janyxregalo) <a href="https://twitter.com/janyxregalo/status/674913564990160896">December 10, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Some commenters say this cover is reminiscent of professional boxer Sonny Liston's cover in December of 1963:
Mar Roxas cover
Back in their November 2014 issue, Esquire featured now-presidential candidate Mar Roxas as the cover of their one year after Yolanda issue.
Roxas is photographed waving to the camera while sitting on a pile of wood with more construction materials in the background.
The "Hello from Tacloban" cover, also posted on their Facebook page, was met with furor online.
Netizens called out the magazine for "mocking Taclobanons," here is a sampling of the reactions:
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<div class="storify"><iframe src="https://storify.com/rappler/mar-ro/embed?border=false" frameborder="no" width="100%" height="750"></iframe>
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<noscript>[<a href="//storify.com/rappler/mar-ro" target="_blank">View the story "In Esquire, Mar Roxas says hello from Tacloban" on Storify</a>]</noscript></div>
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Imee Marcos cover
More recently, in their October 2015 issue, Philippine Tatler featured Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, daughter of ousted president Ferdinand Marcos and Ilocos Norte Representative Imelda Marcos.
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Netizens gave an array of mixed reactions to the cover. With some praising the "ageless beauty" of the governor and others slamming the magazine for its choice, pointing out the dark martial law years under the Marcos dictatorship.
What do you think of Esquire's latest cover? Tell us your thoughts on X. – Rappler.com