Halalan2022: A memo on the top 4 Presidential Candidates 10 days to the polls…

A teddy bear, a son of a dictator, a soft-core actor and a boxer. What do these all have in common? Well, they are now a part of the final stages to the polls in the Philippines. The stage is now getting set and COMELEC is preparing things. The final preparations are in order and the last part of the campaigns are happening too.

Now, the ones who haven’t made up their mind …. they got and should. The teams are already there. The Front-Runners have been clear for month. Two candidates have run high and mighty. This being Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Junior and Leni Robredo. They are stark contrasts and very different.

Former Senator BBM or Bong Bong isn’t very transparent or accountable. No, he is very selective and defensive. Not the sort of fella that you can interview or question. By any means… he prefers prefixed questionaries and puff pieces. The sort of man who is arrogant and entitled to return to the Presidential Palace like his father did in the past. The son of the dictator who has never supported or been part of EDSA. You can wonder if he will do that in office or dismiss it. As he remembers that as the time the Republic fought his father’s tyrannical reign and the agony of the marshal law. Alas, the son might be different, but he shows utter arrogance that would linger in office.

While Vice-President Leni Robredo is open, participating and answering. You might not agree with her or every political stance she has. However, everything isn’t scripted prepared or even published as fluff. No, she is pushed, dragged and belittle all over. Not just for the colour scheme of her campaign, but for whatever she does. She has even been asked to sacrifice her candidacy for others. Therefore, Robredo has stood tall.

Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso, the mayor of Manila has created a storm and been in the wind. His campaign has never taken off and neither has his Duterte-Light approach to the campaign either. Isko is just one of those guys. He is the man who asked Robredo to sacrifice her role and called her a “bully” for standing tall. That just shows how he is a brat.

Emmanuel “Manny” Dapidran Pacquiao the senator and well known boxer. A man who has gone up the ranks and become an established politician. Nevertheless, his own party dismissed him and the PDP-Laban threw him out, as he stood for Presidency. While they instead have endorsed “Bong Bong” much later. That just shows how weak the PDP-Laban was into this election. While Manny is far from totally seasoned or had a powerful team behind him. He has fought and sells himself a people’s champ. However, he will not switch to southpaw and win this one. No, this is going down for the count and he is not close to the 3^rd position even. Though his doing it by showing his true cadence and character, which is more than “Isko” and “Bong Bong” ever did.

I don’t know how this will go, but my prediction of the whole machinery behind Bong Bong Marcos was justified. That Robredo would be second or a front-runner was expected too. It wasn’t without a reason she was able to become the VP in the first place. So, now the question is… how will these two fare. That is something I don’t know and cannot tell.

What I do know… is that these will be ones to follow. The margins of error is slim. BBM haven’t really tested the waters and he will not do it now. He will continue his onslaught of prepared and prepaid content. While we can wonder what the others will do. Nevertheless, what ever Manny and Isko is doing will become more and more meaningless. It might help their next run or campaigns. But right now? Well… it won’t amount to anything. Not because they are no good, but because their reach aren’t close to BBM or Leni.

They have to fight a cute teddy and a dynasty. These two cannot match that. Neither can anyone of the not mentioned here. Since they are so far from the four mentioned. That I don’t even care to say their names. Even if one is a long standing Senator and other took a noble stance after the Withdrawal Party. Still, the facts remain…

It is a two horse race and we can just wonder who finish first at the finish-line. Peace.

 

Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL): ANFREL Launches International Election Observation Mission to the 2022 Philippine National And Local Elections (23.04.2022)

Halalan 2022: Presidential Mediocrity [2 in 1 analysis of the tickets]

Today, the total of Presidential Candidates are finalized. Already looked into a few who was scheduled to become candidates. Some did and some didn’t. This is the ones that will PDP-Laban’s Rodrigo Duterte. That will not be an easy challenge. The person needs tenacity and strength. Also, have ability to stand strong with all the political dynasties and in-fighting in the Congress.

There been speculations who would be next and who would stand as candidates. The incumbent party PDP-Laban is sending Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. A former police officer turned senator. A man who doesn’t see himself as a statesmen. He is also the man behind Duterte’s war on drugs. So, this man has no trouble using violence. The second man on the ticket is the mid-term elected senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Tesoro Go or “Bong Go” as the Vice-President. He is Duterte sidekick and “utility” man. In that regard, they hope he will “Bato” executive assistant. Just like he was all the years in Davao.

The Liberal Party and current Vice-President Leni Robredo is vying the highest office. She had a hectic term and haven’t been in the good graces. Her pink Thursday might have launched online presence, but will she handle the highest office? She has to prove beyond the metropolitan and educated voters. That she stands for the ordinary people too. Sometimes she has a tendency to act a bit arrogant, because of her stature. This needs to be resolved in the upcoming campaign. Her running mate is Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan who runs for VP. Kiko has been called one of the most hard-working senators, but he has to prove that on the campaign trail now.

Then you have Ferdinand “BongBong” Marcos Jr. of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas. The man who claims his father brought the “golden era” to the Philippines. When people were living under martial law and his family was plundering the nation. A man who is also not celebrating EDSA. So, this man will be a selfish President and not suitable for office. Neither has a good record as a Senator and his one of those dynasties that is self-serving. Not strange, they are the next in line after the dictator. He wants “Bong Go” to be his running mate. In that way it would be “Bong Bong Bong Go”. What a crazy scenario….

The People’s Champ Movement (PCM) is fielding senator Emmanuel “Manny” Dapidran Pacquiao Sr. Manny Pacquiao is the first term Senator and haven’t been an effective lawmaker by any stretch. Only real achievement is to finally retire from the boxing ring. Also, because of standing as a Presidential Candidate he was expelled from PDP-Laban. He is supported by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. While Pac-Man shares a ticket with Lito Atienza, the Deputy Speaker of the House. The former mayor of Manila from 1998 to 2007.

The current Manila Mayor of the Aksyon Demokratiko party, Francisco Domagoso “Isko Moreno” is running for the Presidency. He has been the Mayor of the Capital since 2019. The former actor and local councillor have a long way ahead of him. The way his been publicly. He sounds like a meek and soft Duterte. Since he will continue where he left off and not challenge the current day today. He wants to unify the nation, but it’s not a nation in war. So, it seems weird to unify it in peacetime. On his ticket is Dr. Willy Ong, a social media favourite doctor, which sounds like a huge risk. As he has no political background and could be buried quickly. That’s a risk of media savvy Presidential contender.

The final Presidential Candidate and party I will list is Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma and their candidate Panfilo “Ping” Morena Lacson Sr. He plans to run on the same program as Duterte did in 2016. Ping has been a Senator since 2007 and this is his final opportunity to get promoted. The former PNP Chief and has a road ahead of him. Since he only got about 5% of the votes in 2016. He has a well respected running mate in Vicente Sotto III “Tito”. Tito has served in the Senate for 20 years. Over the years he has passed over 20 laws. The only last thing that he could be criticized for over the years. Is that during this term he tried to lower the age of criminality. Meaning, someone deemed as a child could be guilty and liable for participation in a crime. That is the only thing I feel bad for Tito.

So, we see the parties and their candidates. It is not a strong roost of candidates. There is nobody screaming of elegance or quality. None of these tickets are perfect. Nobody is perfect either, but they are not easy to sell.

Bato-Bong is the most mediocre from the incumbent party. Instead of fielding winning candidates and people who has charisma and charm. It is sending what feels like rejects and only Duterte loyalists. Hoping to continue where Rodrigo left-off. That isn’t a winning formula, but leftovers. Who wants yesterday’s frozen lasagna? When you can order fresh Italian food from the vendor around-the-way?

Final analysis of the tickets:

Robredo-Kiko is the ones with the finesse, but will it be a pay-off? Antonio Trillanes IV would have been more forceful. Trilanes will most likely be re-elected into the Senate after one term out. He could have brought more to the ticket than Kiko. Robredo already have to prove that her term wasn’t wasted and she has to be viable to rural uneducated areas. Will Kiko be able to promote Robredo there? I doubt that, but the liberals got to try.

BongBong wants to go Gung-ho with BongBongBongGo and that’s insane. The son of the late dictator should just enjoy the perks of the plunder and leave the Republic alone. Especially, when the candidate doesn’t want to take responsibility or fix the ramification of what his father did. The Marcos haven’t cared for the Philippines. They have hidden and tried to get away from the pain and suffering they put on the nation. He should retire and chill. Be lucky that he got to live lavish on the thieving of his father. That’s it really. Maybe not send “Emergency Alerts” and try to polish your public persona. Since we know the deal and you cannot polish a turd. A turd is a turd, no matter what do to it.

Pacquiao- Atienza is a gamble. These ones are risking their seats in congress. Pac-Man could have easily gotten re-elected into the Senate. Even when he has little to nothing to show for it. He lost his place in PDP-Laban and the faction of his on the open sea now. That he got a respected and seasoned politician on his side is good. Also having support of Pimentel III is vital here. However, is that enough for lightweight Pacquiao? Well, I doubt that… he got to drop a manifesto, which not only smells blood, but proves his sincerity in the race. It cannot be a half-baked project without any substance. Then he will be a fish out of water.

Isko-Ong is the futuristic and out-of-place candidacy. The Manila mayor have to get such a momentum that the big parties cannot contain it. However, to be able to do that. He needs to hit a nerve, but for now he sounds like someone who just wants to “build build build”. Isko Moreno might look like a fresh face, but is that enough? Really? If so… then there is little merit or proof before you get into the highest office. You know this ticket is risky when they just picked the most popular social media doctor to be his running mate. Not finding someone to bring experience or credentials. No, we pick the man that gotten popular during the pandemic…. It is so soft!

Ping-Tito is the most experienced of the bunch. Ping Lacson would be elected with advanced age just like Duterte. Would the same republic vote for an old head like this again? Tito is a respected VP candidate and has a positive record. Therefore, this candidacy is good, but will it be enough? I still wonder, if these two will able to fight and make a campaign worthwhile? They need to prove their experience and careers. Ping-Tito can show what they have done. However, can these challenge the rest and be viable? That I am not certain of, but in a race of mediocrity, maybe this is enough?

God knows what it will take, I don’t know, but these ladies and gentlemen seems like a mediocre bunch of candidates. Would hope for more… nevertheless that is too much to ask for in 2021. Peace.