The race for the Philippine Presidency has intensified and will continue to as the deadline for the filing of candidacy for the 2010 elections is nearing- that’s November 15, 2008..
Intrigues galore, may natumbang hopefuls, may bagong emerge, and may holding on to their dreams kahit na yata alam nilang wala talaga silang kapag a pag- asa.
Unang matunog na kusang nagpatumba was Sen. Panfilo Lacson who said his financial backers have backed out- e alam naman nyo dito sa Pinas,laksa- laksang pera ang kailangan sa pagkakampanya. Sa pagpapakain pa lamang ng mga magsisisugod sa bahay at headquarters ng isang kandidato, hosme, masasaid talaga ang personal na ipon mo. E paano na ang mobilization fund ng iyong mga campaign managers,PR team, monitoring team, at kung anu- ano pang teams na bubuuin para sa candidacy ng kandidato?
Sshh, pero ang mga usapan sa kanto ay nagback- out daw si Sen Lacson because of pressure from the Palace- naki- compromise sa usaping Dacer- Corbito murder case reopening na nagsimula na sa pagkaka- extradite dito ng dating alalay ni Lacson na si… who has promised to publicly reveal details that will connect Sen Lacson (and Erap daw) to the case.
Meantime sa venerable Philippine Senate, the early months of the year saw fellow senators (notably Sen. Jamby Madrigal) na matinding ginigisa si Sen Manuel Villar na noong year 2008 pa lamang ay nagdeklara na ng kanyang interest to run for President in 2010.’Kasinungalingan’ ang mga bintang na yan’, say ni Sen Villar at hala, bulatlart ng mga papeles at dokumento para ipakita na everything was aboveboard. Naresolba nab a ang kasong ito?
Nang naka 40 days after Tita Cory’s funeral, Sen. Noynoy, her only son accepted the Liberal Party’s nomination to run for President. Nauna dito, matindi ang news coverage ng broadcast and print media sa pag- urong ni Sen Mar Roxas sa kanyang balak to run for President. Matindi ang pagka drama ng pag- urong ni Sen. Mar. Sa akin lang, ha,very graceful naman ang exit nya and very practical kasi,laging bandang kulelat sya sa bilangan sa mga survey- at least pinakinggan ni Sen. Mar ang mga ito. Hindi sya ilusyonado.
Sen Noynoy’s entry into the Presidential race created other ripples- Jojo Binay, Mayor of Makati City declared hindi na rin sya tatakbo for the Presidency. VP na lang daw. Ayaw taluhin si Noynoy kasi best of friends sila nina Tita Cory noon pa mang 1986. Sen Kiko Pangilinan volunteered to be a mere spokesman for Noynoy na lang instead of running for the Vice Presidency to give way to Sen. Roxas who was invited by Sen. Noynoy to be his running mate.
Sweet naman- all for the party’s unity. Dinig ko, pati yung humiwalay na faction ng Liberal Party led by DENR Secretary and former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza is all set to come back to the fold in support for Sen. Noynoy.
Over at the Nacionalista Party, spokesman Gilbert Remulla announced wala pa ring pagbabago sa Presidential intentions ni Sen. Manny Villar. Tuluy- tuloy pa rin ang mga paid ads nya over radio and tv.Surveys show he is leading as the respondents’ choice for President.
E si Sen. Noli de Castro naman kaya? Winning as an independent, he has informally attached himself in the vicinity of the ruling party ( e ano pa kundi ang oarty ni President GMA!) but the latest intriga is baka hindi na sya kasali sa pagpipilian kasi it has taken so long for him to make up his mind to accept the party nomination or not. Mukhang ang paborito ng party members ay si Defense Sec. Gilberto Duavit na may mangilan- ngilan na ring tv ads na lumilitaw.Pero ano ba’t binawi ng party stalwart na si Sec. Ed Ermita ang nauna nyang announcement- kasali pa rind aw sa pagpipilian si Sen. De Castro. Nalilito na siguro ang kampo ni Sen. De Castro kasama din siguro ang maybahay nyang si Arlene- dati nating p.a. sa Channel 4.
Si ERAP, saan naman kaya ang kanyang damdamin- a basta, hindi sya naniniwala sa surveys where he appears a little way down. Sabi nya, Makita nyo lang ang tilian and adulation ng crowds meeting him in his provincial sorties, you will be convinced that he is still loved by the Voters.
Sen. Chiz Escudero, one of the consistent top raters in surveys remains silent. Nag- iisip siogurong mabuti ang tao. Actually,gusto ko sya- very clean image, very promising at mukha naming marami pang ideals sa buhay.
Di naman matinag si Sen. Loren- ayaw nang kumandidato sa Vice Presidency. Presidency daw talaga ang goal nya.
Await more action in this most exciting race- ano ang panama ng NBA, PBA at NCAA games sa tindi ng adrenaline- high na bigay ng mga eleksyon sa Pinas?
So, let’s recapitulate.
Ang matinding mga pangalan as of the moment:
Sen Manny Villar- hindi naman sobrang mahirap when he was young but learned the value of striving and reaching out to his dreams by helping his mom earn a living for the family selling fish in the market, becoming a working student and daring to strike out on his own in the real estate business armed only with a Php 10k capital. He is today President of the Nacionalista Party, ranked the 7th richest man in the country in the year 2007, was outstanding UP alumnus in 2004. He was also, in the past, awardee as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines,recipient of the Agora Award for Marketing Excellence, and Most Outstanding Cert-Ified Public Accountant.. He has also spent his private funds to help problematic OFW’s return home;
Sen. NoynoyAquino- scion of the illustrious name ‘Cojuangco- Aquino’, only son of Ninoy and Cory Aquino, our country’s modern heroes. A graduate of Ateneo de Manila, he has been a congressman and senator for some years;
Joseph Ejercito Estrada- former President of the Republic, Vice President, senator and San Juan City mayor;
Gilbert Teodoro- who he? Well, he is now Defense Secretary, former congressman, and a cousin of Sen. Noynoy. He is an alumnus of the University of the Philippines and honorary member of the Philippine Military Academy ‘Magilas’ batch. Di pa lang siguro nagwo work ang Publicity Unit nya kaya we don’t know so much about him;
Bayani Fernando- isa sa dalawa (o tatlo, if we include Sen. Noli) na pinagpipilian ng ruling Party as its presidential bet, he was mayor of Marikina City and now chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Authority. He is an engineerby profession.
Sen. Chiz Escudero- UP graduate, a new senator and gaining popularity day by day because of his solid stand on national issues. Mataas din sya sa survey standings.
And of course, Sen.Noli de Castro- nakilala bilang top broadcaster,he is creating a name for himself in politics and has concentrated efforts in the social housing sector and the plight of the overseas Filipino worker.
Of them, two have created matunog na slogans. ‘SIPAG AT TYAGA’ for Manny Villar to highlight his rise to fame through perseverance and determination- something the ordinary Filipino can do himself, too. And ‘TULOY AND LABAN’ ni Sen. Noynoy signifying his intent to lead and continue the fight that his parents stood for.
Marami pang happenings, folks. Siguradong punung puno ng aksyon ang 2010 elections ditto sa Philippines.
You are all invited!
Greetings to my newfound pamangkins who have come over to stay the house. From Mlang, Cotabato and Davao- Carina Laab Robinos and Joseph Robinos…and Dr. Abet Robinos from San Jose del Monte, Bulacan
For comments, please reach me at mediastrat at gmail.com
