The Philippine senatorial campaign for the midterm elections scheduled for May this year reeled off early last week with the holding of bonggang- bonggang miting de avances of the 2 major political parties fielding their respective candidates. The parties officially proclaimed their bets and announced full steam ahead in their quest to garner the majority if not the full ticket of winning senators in the coming elections
The political coalition UNA or United Nationalist Alliance set its stage in vote- rich Cebu City, bailiwick of one of its candidates Gwen Garcia, currently in ‘suspended’ mode as the province’s governor by virtue of charges filed against her and a few others from that province. Garcia vowed to deliver the Cebuano vote to UNA.
The start of the official UNA campaign was preceeded by an expensive 60- second video production broadcast in major nationwide media networks with no less than incumbent Vice President Jojo Binay questioning the administration’s ‘ daang matuwid’ (the straight path) slogan and then endorsing his own, ‘Sa UNA, gaganda ang buhay.’ (a good life with the party UNA). The UNA campaign gets its support from 3 formidable political personalities- former President Joseph Estrada, incumbent Vice President Binay and incumbent Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile. Its roster of candidates looks like a hodge podge of personalities, each carrying his own political color but unifying with the rest in the party as ‘ the constructive opposition’. Hmm, sige na nga. Baka naman maantig ang Pinoy voter sa ‘ sama- sama together’ na idea ng mga campaign think tanks ng UNA.
The ‘opposition’ party, realizing the popularity of the nation’s President might veer away from attacking him but instead be pinpointing on the Liberal Party’s other movers as ones who are putting the President and the country down by sowing intrigues that aims to erode unity among everyone. UNA insists that it is one with the incumbents in pushing good governance and adds that it focuses in addressing national concerns that escape the full attention of the national leadership or not prioritized at all.
UNA is fielding Sen. Gringo Honasan, former Sen. Ernesto Maceda, Margarita Cojuangco, Congresswoman Mitos Magsaysay, Congressman Jack Enrile, Nancy Binay, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia, Congressman JV Ejercito, plus the tree guest candidates, no shows all during the Cebu grand proclamation, Grace Poe, Sen.Loren Legarda, and Sen. Chiz Escudero.
Plaza Miranda meantime, was venue to the Liberal Party’s miting de avance- the party highlighted the historical significance of the area, a favourite destination of the masa for spiritual guidance, economic deliverance and other activities that may make up a Juan or Tasio’s day more hopeful and bearable. It was here many years ago when this same party presented its candidates for a national election. The presentation ended, marred by a bomb explosion which killed, hurt and maimed several LP political leaders and candidates not to mention many more among the audience who came to watch. The incident went down in Philippine history as one of ex-President Ferdinand Marcos’ justifications in imposing martial law rule throughout the country.
In his speech, President Aquino said the LP senatorial ticket is being proclaimed in this venue to honor the memory of the sacrifices made by the nine fatalities of that incident so many years ago. In his endorsement, he said that the candidates being fielded by the LP for the May 13 elections are ‘good’ people who will strengthen the fight for good government.
LP’s battlecry is ‘ daang matuwid’ and its candidates capitalize on the Aquino administration’s strides in ‘good governance’ and its continuation until the nation fully enjoys the fruits of having a government with integrity. LP is fielding Senators Loren Legarda (guest candidate), Chiz Escudero (guest candidate), Alan Peter Cayetano, Koko Pimentel, and Antonio Trillanes, former Sen. Jamby Madrigal, former Congresswoman Risa Hontiveros, Congressman Sonny Angara, former Sen Ramon Magsaysay, youth sector respresentative Bam Aquino, Congresswoman Cynthia Villar and guest candidate Grace Poe.
Dalawang buwan ang duration of what is expected to be umaatikabong pangangampanya of all candidates, led by the parties’ bigwigs to seek the support and ultimately, the all- important votes that will clinch the candidate a slot in the Magic 12. Each party can not accuse the other of further institutionalizing the system of political dynasties as each has its own ‘tagapagmana’ in its roster- Enrile, Binay, Ejercito, Cojuangco, Garcia and Zubiri in UNA and Cayetano, Aquino, Villar and Angara within LP.
To be sure, bida na naman ang masa as the campaign days roll. Already, many candidates have started paying visits to urban poor communities and those in the rural areas, promising to complete the unfinished songs whose subjects are poverty, progress and development. They will again vow to protect the rights of the poor. They will promise everything to get the voters’ approval.
Will the 16th Philippine Congress be a samahan ng magkakamag- anaks? Will the voters choose wisely? Will the nation have a Congress fit to address the concern of the nation at the present time and the near future?
Susundan natin ang mga susunod na kabanata.
THANK YOU, TORONTO!
