by Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star)
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=548001&publicationSubCategoryId=63MANILA, Philippines - The race is on for presidential candidates beginning today, after months of unofficial free-for-all.
The frontrunner, Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, kicks off his campaign in his home province of Tarlac, at his family’s old house in Concepcion.
He and his running mate Sen. Manuel Roxas II, as well as LP senatorial candidates, will hold a motorcade to the Aquino Museum and then to the municipalities of Bamban, Capas and Tarlac City.
The Nacionalista Party led by its standard-bearer Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. kicks off its “90-day journey to a better Philippines” in Calamba, Laguna, the birthplace of national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, with visits to public markets.
“We chose to launch our good fight in Rizal’s birthplace, Laguna, because the cradle of heroes is always the best springboard of change,” the NP said in a statement.
The NP expects to mobilize a mammoth rally today in Calamba.
“We would like to unveil our vision for the nation in the birthplace of the man who told us and showed us how to love it,” the NP said.
The NP said it chose Laguna “not because it is our bailiwick but because we believe that our vow to serve the people will assume a sacred dimension if made in the place symbolized by our national hero.”
“We deem it best to make our commitment before our hero,” said NP. “Others will read their platforms from teleprompters. We’d rather recite ours from the heart in front of the statue of Rizal,” the NP added.
Expected at today’s campaign kickoff are Villar’s running mate Loren Legarda and the party’s senatorial candidates.
Minus GMA
For administration presidential and vice presidential candidates Gilbert Teodoro and Edu Manzano, official campaigning begins tonight in the “lucky and high ground” of Antipolo City in Rizal province – minus their political patron President Arroyo.
Mrs. Arroyo, Lakas-Kampi-CMD president emeritus, is unlikely to attend the proclamation rally reportedly due to prior commitments.
“We chose Antipolo City as the formal proclamation (rally) site because it’s higher ground, beautiful and lucky,” Lakas-Kampi-CMD deputy secretary-general Ray Roquero said.
“Rizal is known to be (a bailiwick of the) opposition but now they’re for Gibo (Teodoro’s nickname),” he said.
Lakas’ proclamation rally is at 4 p.m. at the Ynares Sports Complex, which can accommodate about 15,000 to 20,000 people. Teodoro and Manzano will be joined by the party’s six administration senatorial candidates – broadcaster Reynante Langit, Binalonan Mayor Ramon Guico, lawyer Raul Lambino, outgoing Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III, and reelectionist senators Lito Lapid and Bong Revilla.
Roquero said Mrs. Arroyo’s absence should not be given too much significance.
“She has shown that she is very supportive of Gibo,” he said. “Every now and then she checks on us regarding the campaign.”
The “transformers” team of Sen. Richard Gordon and former Metro Manila Development Authority chair Bayani Fernando, meanwhile, officially begins their campaign in Imus, Cavite. The two are running under the Bagumbayan Volunteers for a New Philippines or Bagumbayan party.
Gordon explained that his kickoff rally in Imus is reminiscent of the campaign his own great-grandfather Jose Tagle staged, which reportedly sparked the Philippine revolution in the province of Cavite.
Tagle, who served as Capitan Municipal of Imus, joined forces with revolutionary President Emilio Aguinaldo in winning the “Battle of Imus,” which Gordon said, was the first major victory of the revolutionaries against the Spanish colonizers.
“The start of our campaign is also a start towards change. We believe that Filipinos deserve clean and honest elections and they deserve truly competent and honest leaders who will fight corruption and lead them towards economic and political independence,” Gordon said.
Gordon and Fernando will run a motorcade around Imus passing through the towns of Carmona, Bulihan, General Mariano Alvarez, Paliparan, Dasmariñas and Bayan Luma. A political rally at 5 p.m. is scheduled at the Imus Central Plaza.
Meanwhile, Bro. Eddie Villanueva leads today his party Bangon Pilipinas Party (BPP) in unfurling what it calls the biggest Philippine flag at Rizal Park.
In a statement, the BPP said the Philippine flag, measuring 180 meters by 92 meters, signifies hope for the country. It weighs 3.8 tons and costs almost P10 million. Its maker is businesswoman and BPP supporter Grace Galindez Gupana.
The flag was first unfurled in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya on Sept. 16, 2006.
“We are starting here in the country’s ‘Kilometer Zero’ as a sign of hope for a New Philippines. This year is the year of God’s favor for the Philippines,” BPP national campaign manager Lyndon Caña said.
To assist Villanueva in the unfurling of the flag are vice presidential candidate Perfecto Yasay and senatorial candidates Dr. Zafrullah Alonto, lawyers Reynaldo Princesa and Ramoncito Ocampo, broadcast journalist Katherine “Kata” Inocencio, Count Habib Adz Nikabulin, broadcast journalist Alex Tinsay and educator Dr. Israel Virgines.
“We believe Filipinos are already awakened. We are all tired with old traditional politics. We see how traditional politics has brought our nation deeper into economic quagmire. We have not seen corruption and bad governance at their worse than in the recent years,” Caña said.
Another presidential candidate, Nicanor Perlas, has set the start of his official campaigning on Saturday in Cebu. On Friday, he hopes to dramatize his call for clean elections with a "bike run.”
The presidential race has become more intense as LP’s Aquino is now neck-and-neck with NP’s Villar after topping surveys for months.
But those tailing them – former President Joseph Estrada of the Pwersa ng Pilipino, administration bet former defense secretary Teodoro of the Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrat, Sen. Jamby Madrigal, Gordon of Bagumbayan, environmentalist Perlas, spiritual leader Villanueva and Olongapo City Councilor John Carlos delos Reyes of Ang Kapatiran – said survey results were inconclusive and that they were ready to give the frontrunners a good fight.
Corruption issue
In a forum at the University of the Philippines yesterday, the candidates unanimously agreed on the need to stamp out corruption to attract more investors and uplift the lives of the people, especially the poor.
Aquino repeated his promise not to initiate new taxes if he gets elected.
It was a promise criticized and described by Gordon as a ploy to fool the people. He said new revenues would be needed for the country’s social services and investments. Gordon said this could be done by expanding the tax base and not necessarily increasing tax rates.
But Aquino maintained it would be “immoral” to burden the people with more taxes when the government should be running after leakages, tax evaders and smugglers. He said more than P200 billion is lost to corruption each year.
Aquino said that as an example, he would reduce funds from the internal revenue allotment (IRA) for underperforming local government units and reward IRAs with good track record.
Aquino said funds for LGUs should be well accounted for.
Assailed for his lack of leadership experience, Aquino said he is running on the good name and legacy of his parents and that he would never tarnish their good name.
Villar defended his huge spending on political advertisements, saying has been using his own hard-earned money and that his experience and management skills would immensely benefit the country.
Villar was hit a number of times by Madrigal during the forum, accusing him of corruption and using his position in government to enrich himself. She also scored him for his numerous ads featuring children and celebrities.
But Villar argued that his rise from poverty was a result of his perseverance and that unlike other candidates who might be depending on financiers, he would have no debt of gratitude to anyone with regard to campaign expenditures.
Villar is being widely criticized for “buying” his way to the presidency.
“Is it very difficult to imagine a poor man rising from poverty through honest means?”
Villar said he divested himself of his family’s businesses when he joined politics. But he was being accused of using his positions in government to realign and provide funds for the C-5 road extension project which benefited his family’s real estate properties.
“I have been a businessman for a long time and ever since I held posts in government, I have never been a businessman. I was the industry leader before I joined politics,” Villar said.
And if elected president, Villar vowed to lead a simple life and not to spend millions of money for extravagant dinners like what President Arroyo and her entourage did in New York last year.
Teodoro, Mrs. Arroyo’s bet, said the “impression of corruption” had been driving away much needed investments.
He said that under his administration, he would see to it that people in government would be shielded from temptation.
The unresolved corruption issues involving the administration are believed to be weighing down Teodoro’s presidential bid.
Teodoro said he would put in place the necessary tools to prevent the occurrence of corruption and ensure punishment for offenders.
He bewailed that infrastructure projects usually take too long to finish and stressed this kind of anomaly must end.
“Why did it take 10 years?” to finish the Skyway project, he asked. He said the lack of long-term continuity of policies, is another form of corruption.
Gordon also took a swipe at Villar for utilizing so much funds to ensure his victory.
Gordon said candidates mislead voters by projecting themselves to be poor and pro-poor.
“You can see those who play cute with people, those who use advertising to say that they are poor and yet they are not when you see their record,” Gordon said in Filipino for which he got jeered by the audience.
But he stayed calm and advised the crowd not to be fooled because many candidates would actually forget the poor once elected into office.
“You have to face the fact, kung ang leader niyo hindi haharap sa accountability dapat hindi iboto (if your leader will not face accountability, you should not vote for him),” Gordon added, apparently referring to Villar’s refusal to face the Senate investigation into his alleged involvement in the C-5 road controversy.
Gordon said the people must work together and make sure “corruption is banished forever” in the country. He said Filipinos must have a sense of obligation to their country.
Estrada did not show up during the forum while Madrigal, Perlas, Villanueva also vowed to stop corruption. Villanueva said he would “dismantle” corruption and work to bring back moral fiber into the society to address the concerns especially of the poor.
Madrigal said she was ready to fight big businesses and unfair global trade practices but drew jeers when she could not say how much a kilo of galunggong is.
Teodoro said he would abide by consensus on controversial policies, such as reproductive health while Aquino said he would oppose government moves to force and mislead people to use contraceptives.
“For any policy, especially one as controversial as this, you have to work with the consensus, you can’t implement a law with such massive opposition,” Teodoro said.
Aquino reiterated he would abide by the Constitution and would not recognize a next chief justice of the Supreme Court appointed by the President.
“We should all abide by the Constitution,” Aquino said.
Villar said Charter change would not be his priority but he would study whether economic provisions would have to be changed and allow the people to decide through a referendum.
Madrigal said there would be no executive privilege under her government and that she would ensure transparency in her administration. With Paolo Romero, Mike Frialde, Christina Mendez, Katherine Adraneda, Perseus Echeminada, Evelyn Macairan, Jose Rodel Clapano, Ric Sapnu
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