Who Will Be The Next President?

Who will be the 15th President of the Philippines? The answer is in our capable hands. It's more than the mechanical act of shading the "bilog na hugis itlog" come May 10, 2010, but it all boils down to intelligent assessment of the candidates' platforms and qualifications.

Will Mr. Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Cojuangco Aquino III make it to the top? Based on media circus and Pulse Asia Survey (whatevs), the Noy-Mar tandem can expect a landslide victory this Monday. 

Check out some facts about Noy:

Credentials, Family

• Three-term Tarlac Congressman, and Senator
• Graduated with a degree in Economics from Ateneo
• Son of democracy saint Cory Aquino and martyr Ninoy Aquino

Wealth

• The “poorest” presidentiable with a net worth of P13.94 million in 2007, up by a few million from P8.7 million in 1998, when he first joined government as a Congressman

More on his wealth on:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=342672110511&topic=15232

http://pcij.org/stories/secret-wealth-5-top-bets-have-undisclosed-assets/

Campaign and expenses

• Central campaign message is taking on corruption as main poverty scourge, referenced to corruption allegations surrounding rival Manny Villar’s wealth
• Second biggest spender on TV ads during the official campaign period

Controversy

• Shareholder of Hacienda Luisita, which figured in a massacre that claimed 7 civilian lives. Hacienda Luisita took the first exemption from mother Cory Aquino’s legacy, the agrarian reform, by giving farmers stock options instead of land. Farmers have re-sold stocks to Luisita because they could not sustain their farming, precisely because land ownership is the prerequisite for productivity.
• The same clan allegedly received exorbitant right-of-way payment for SCTEX
• Criticized for not demonstrating leadership and not having passed any major legislation while in Congress
• Rumored to have psychiatric problems, later found to be bogus; called on his smoking and clubbing by opponent Villar

Positions on popular issues

• Has wavered from full support (unconditional support for all provisions from free contraceptives to sex education in schools) to “nuanced” support for the RH Bill (conditional support purportedly in an effort not to alienate the powerful CBCP)
• Has publicly stated that he will prosecute if and when PGMA is proven guilty of anomalies

Religious Bloc Vote, Support

• Religious bloc vote: Poised to gain 5 million votes here and abroad from Eduardo Manalo of Igesia ni Cristo

Surveys, Winnability

• Survey lead at 39% in the latest Pulse Asia survey (a week before the elections); popularity spurred by death of mother, the “saint of democracy,” Cory Aquino

Personal

• Single; is dating Valenzuela councilor Shalani Soledad

Other Info

• Alleged tacit support from giant media outfits like ABS-CBN, GMA 7, Inquirer and Star and the powerful Makati Business Club

Heck, this country is a country of entertainment. Funny, funny, funny. Since I won't be able to vote, I will beg off from tackling serious issues behind the 2010 elections. Come to think of it, it will be the first national computerized election in the history of the Philippines. OMG. So let's all join in the fun and hype of the yellow crowd (note the sarcasm here), and while I'm cooling down my election fever (rewind to May 10 where I'll be rubbing my tired soles in the white sand), here's a pic of my yellow baller band.

Worn with tremendous amounts of HOPE! God bless the Philippines.

Last but not the least, I feel sad for Gibo. I hope this dark horse of May 2010 elections will have his time to shine.

Political Noise

I was still half-awake in my bed when some political noise jarred me completely out of sleep.

A barangay kagawad (name withheld) is holding a bingo bonanza in the middle of the street as her way of reaching out to her constituents on her birthday. How typical of a Pinoy politician, huh? Louspeakers galore. Obvious orchestrated clapping of hands. Argh. 

I could only imagine the people's money used in buying the bingo prizes like bags of grocery items and appliances. There's even a soup kitchen! Sopas in styro cups were distributed among the bingo participants, and, yep, the bingo host repeatedly pointed it out. "Hey, there's soup for everyone!"

The whole affair reeks of dirty, phony game of Pinoy politics.

Introductions went like this... "matulungin, madaling lapitan, tunay na malalapitan, pinakamamahal, napakahusay, ating kaagapay, kabalikat sa pagbibigay ng magandang serbisyo, ang rek(c)ord na di mapantayan, ang puso ng Barangay Pinagkaisahan, ang tinatanyag na si... " If I could only grab the megaphone and say, "Talaga po?"

Then, a not-so-loud clapping followed. Not satisfied, the host raised her voice a bit higher, "Bigyan po natin ng malakas at masigabong palakpan." Loud clapping now.

It has the same party flavor of local noontime shows and it redefines the concept of public service. Sigh.

Unless one is deaf or blind or simply dumb, you'd know it's premature campaign for May 2010 elections.

Then a lot of barangay kagawads participated, gave their promises, thanked everyone and introduced one after another politician, barangay-level, city-level, congress-level. The same superlatives were used in the introduction. My second argh. Damn this political noise.

Oh wait, I can smell Bistek* now. Another argh.


*a mayoralty hopeful in the City of Stars

We Better Watch Out!

Please tell me I'm dreaming.