Special SWS survey shows Aquino slipping, Villar rising

from The Daily Tribune
01/09/2010
http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/20100109nat14.html
Results of a special survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) last Dec. 27-28 have showed that consistent frontrunner in the recent surveys on favored presidential candidates, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III slipping two percentage points from the last SWS poll on the same subject, while Sen. Manny Villar Jr. gained six percentage points from the two surveys.

The special year-end survey, which was privately commissioned by House Minority Leader, San Juan City, Metro Manila Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, had asked some 2,100 respondents the question (in Filipino): “Among the following list of names, who will you most likely vote for as President of the Philippines, if the elections were held today?”

The results of the poll had 44 percent of the respondents choosing Aquino, although it was a slide from the “votes” he got in a similar survey done by the SWS last Dec. 5-10 where he garnered 46 percent.

Following Aquino, albeit still trailing him substantially, is Villar, who copped 33 percent of those who were polled. That, however, was notably a big jump from his having obtained 27 percent in the previous SWS survey.

The gap between Villar and Aquino in the special year-end survey has narrowed to only 11 percentage points from the 19-percentage point difference in the earlier SWS survey.

Other contenders for the presidency did not show much change in rating between the two polls.

Deposed President Joseph Estrada retained his third slot but shed one percentage point in the new SWS survey to 15 percent from 16 percent in the previous poll.

Coming in fourth is administration bet Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, a cousin of Aquino, whose survey performance remained flat at 5 percent, similar to his Dec. 5-10 survey rating.

Television evangelist Eddie Villanueva’s ratings also did not move at 1 percent.

Sen. Richard Gordon scored 0.5 percent from his earlier 0.9 percent, while colleague Jamby Madrigal and independent John Carlos de los Reyes tied with 0.4 percent each from their previous 0.2 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively.

The year-end special survey has a plus/minus 2.2 percent margin of error, SWS said.

Villar cuts Aquino lead

NP camp solicited latest SWS survey
By Michael Lim Ubac
from Philippine Daily Inquirer
01/09/2010

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100109-246300/Villar-cuts-Aquino-lead

MANILA, Philippines—The lead of Liberal Party standard-bearer Benigno Aquino III over his nearest rival, Sen. Manny Villar, of the Nacionalista Party has been narrowed to 11 percent, according to a recent Social Weather Stations survey commissioned by a Villar ally.
Aquino was the choice of 44 percent of 2,100 respondents across the country in the SWS special yearend survey conducted from Dec. 27 to 28, 2009.
Villar obtained 33 percent, narrowing the gap with Aquino to 11 percent, and improving his ratings from the 27 percent he got in the earlier Dec. 5-10 SWS survey.
The survey was privately commissioned by House Minority Leader San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, a Villar ally, and was released to Senate reporters by Villar’s office.
A statement issued by Villar’s office said the senator “seems to have benefited from the shift in voting preference over the last three weeks in December as respondents start to put a premium on proven competence, leadership and accomplishments.”
A comparison of the two surveys showed that Villar had added six percentage points in the three weeks between the two survey dates.
Aquino obtained 46 percent in the earlier survey, leading Villar by 19 percentage points.
Deposed president Joseph Estrada remained in third place but shed one percentage point in the new SWS survey to 15 percent, from his previous 16 percent.

Muslim at Kristiyano nagbuklod kay Bro. Eddie

from Pilipino Star Ngayon
January 09, 2010 12:00 AM
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=539230&publicationSubCategoryId=92

MANILA, Philippines - Solidong nagkaisa para suportahan ang kandidatura ni Bangon Pilipinas Presidential bet Eddie Villanueva ang iba-ibang sekta ng Kristiyano pati na ang tatlong tribong Muslim mula sa Mindanao.

Mangiyakngiyak na pinasalamatan ni Bro., Eddie ang Muslim united front na nakiisa sa mga Kristiyano para suportahan siya. “For the love of country, they have united to advance new politics,” Ani Bro. Eddie sa isang pagtitipong ginanap sa Clark, Pampanga nitong nakaraang linggo.

Ayon sa mga religious leaders, nagawa ng Bangon Pilipinas ang tinatawag na “unity beyond rhetorics” na hindi nagawa ng ibang partido para tiyakin ang panalo ng kani-kanilang pambato.

Sa kanilang paghahayag ng suporta kamakailan, nagkaisa ang mga leader Kristiyano at Muslim na naniniwala silang may mabisang pormula si Bro. Eddie lalu na sa paglutas sa malaon nang problema sa Mindanao.

“Bro. Eddie is for genuine reforms” anang tatlong major tribes sa Mindanao na kinabibilangan ng Maguindanaon, Tausug, Maranaw. Ang mga grupo ay pinangunahan ni Aleem Naguib Taher, pinuno ng Ulama Philippines. Sila ay nakipagbukluran sa kowalisyon ng mga Born Again Churches kasama ang Baptist Churches, Pentecostal Churches at Seventh Day Adventists upang siguruhin ang pagwawagi ni Bro. Eddie sa 2010 elections.

Villar among top filers of bills, resolutions in Senate

By Christina Mendez
from : The Philippine Star
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=539035&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. has been consistently among the top filers of bills and resolutions in the Senate since he joined the 12th Congress in 2001.

Records showed that Villar has the second most number of legislation filed in the Senate with 737 bills and resolutions as of Dec. 31, 2009. He follows consistent top filer Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago with 1,231.

In 2009 alone, Villar filed a total of 158 bills and resolutions (24 bills and 134 resolutions).

The Senate Bills and Index Service provides the statistics after each Congress, based on recent available data.

The top 10 filers are as follows: Santiago, Villar, Jinggoy Estrada, 622; Lito Lapid, 398; Chiz Escudero, 372; Loren Legarda, 359; Bong Revilla, 341; Antonio Trillanes, 341, Dick Gordon, 228; and Mar Roxas, 226.

In a study conducted by Dr. Ebinezer Florano, chair of the Master of Public Management Program of UP Open University, he cited that of the 21 Republic Acts or RAs approved by both Houses of Congress and duly signed by President Arroyo during the 14th Congress, Villar authored and co-authored 10 bills that eventually became laws.

Based on the study, Villar is followed by Estrada, with nine; Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile with eight; and Senators Edgardo Angara, Legarda, Revilla, and Miguel Zubiri with seven each. Senators Rodolfo Biazon and Gordon have five each; Senators Pia Cayetano, Santiago, Escudero, Lapid, and Roxas have four each; Senators Nene Pimentel and Trillanes have three each; Senators Noynoy Aquino, Alan Peter Cayetano, and Gringo Honasan two each; and Sen. Kiko Pangilinan has one. Senators Joker Arroyo, Ping Lacson, and Jamby Madrigal have none.

Meanwhile, Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro continues to maintain his lead over other presidential rivals in the latest survey results of Facebook networking site.

In the round eight of Facebook’s “Election 2010” voting last Jan. 5, Teodoro garnered 34.17 percent of votes next to Bangon Pilipinas’ Eddie Villanueva with 30.92 percent, Gordon, 17.80 percent and Aquino with 12.04 percent.

Meanwhile, Teodoro’s running mate, former Optical Media Board (OMB) chair Edu Manzano, is batting for the creation of an extra bureau patterned after the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to deal with private armies and gun smugglers in the country.

Noynoy-Mar strongest in urban areas

Meanwhile, the Liberal Party (LP) said yesterday its standard-bearer, Sen. Aquino and his running mate, Sen. Roxas were strongest in urban areas where dissatisfaction over President Arroyo was also very high.

LP campaign manager Florencio “Butch” Abad cited the case of Davao City where a recent survey showed Aquino garnering 45.44 percent of the votes and Roxas, 47.32 percent.

The survey was conducted by the Hugpong Davao during the period Dec. 17 to 22 with 6,600 respondents in 300 clustered population areas in the three congressional and 11 administrative districts of the city.

Meanwhile, LP local executives sounded the alarm yesterday against the start of another administration blitzkrieg against them — this time, through the sudden replacement of police chiefs and schools division superintendents without their knowledge. — With Aurea Calica, Jaime Laude

Foreign policy forum for presidentiables

Ellen Tordesillas
from: Malaya
http://www.malaya.com.ph/01082010/edtorde.html

‘His handlers have decided to limit his exposure to protect his lead.’

ON Jan. 14, the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation, Asian Institute of Management, and ABS News Channel will hold a foreign policy forum featuring presidential candidates and will focus on Philippine credibility and competitiveness in the world.

The forum takes special signifiicance at this time when world has to deal with the twin threats of terrorism and economic recession and the Philippines carries additional burden of resources strained by recent calamities and a notorious reputation of lawlessness.

Liberal Party presidential candidate Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, who is leading in all election surveys, has declined the invitation to participate in the forum. Surprisingly, Nacionalista Party presidential bet Manny Villar, who used to have a phobia with presidential fora, has agreed to attend.

This is not the first time that Aquino would be snubbing a foreign-policy related forum. He was also a no-show in the forum on Millennium Development Goals co-sponsored by the MDG Campaign and the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.

Aquino’s avoidance of the Jan. 14 event gives credence to talks that since he was not impressive in the few presidential fora, his handlers have decided to limit his exposure to protect his lead.

I guess Noynoy’s campaign strategists have devised other ways for him to inform the voters what substance can they expect from his presidency. They can’t be just relying on Facebook and other social networks, which everybody knows are maintained by other people and not by the candidate himself.

Anyway, the two-hour forum will be held at the AIM Bldg in Makati starting at 10 a.m. The organizers have also invited presidential aspirants Joseph Estrada , Richard Gordon and Gilbert Teodoro.

The candidates are expected to address the following concerns:

1. The Maguindanao nightmare and the wider challenge of peace in the Philippine South. What is your assessment of the situation in Maguindanao and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, and what policies and programs will you pursue to bring an end to the conflict in Mindanao and Sulu, and install stable government and sustainable development across the region?

2. Philippine foreign relations and international security. What significance do you attach to Philippine relations with the world, what countries and regions are most important, and do you believe the nation should be involved or not in the international fight against terrorism?

3. Philippine economy and international economic relations. What policies will you adopt for strengthening and growing the national economy, how will you expand foreign trade and investments in the country, and what importance do you attach to key economic organizations such as the World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation.

4. Migrant workers. What policies will you adopt with respect to Filipino labor migration, the welfare of OFWs, Philippine relations with labor-receiving countries, and conventions for the protection and rights of migrant workers?

5. Philippine competitiveness in the world. What specific policies and programs will you adopt to reverse the erosion of Philippine international competitiveness in the world, and what particular areas do you consider most vital to national interest?

Registration is required. Those who are interested in attending may call Mel Reyes at 885 0921.

***

Blog:www.ellentordesillas.com

E-mail:ellentordesillas@gmail.com

Gordon, Aquino trade barbs

By HANNAH L. TORREGOZA

from Manila Bulletin 
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/237395/gordon-aquino-trade-barbs

The Facebook does not matter, it is not even your face that matters.
Thus said Sen. Richard Gordon to presidential rival Liberal Party candidate Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.
Gordon, who is also running for president in the May 10 elections, said that in any political race "accountability" is most important.
Gordon pointed out that Aquino has a lot yet to prove to the people, saying that he (Aquino) and his family have had numerous opportunities to make the nation great but they have regrettably failed to deliver.
Gordon said a leader must be accountable and should show that he has done something to improve the lives of his people. “How many more chances do you want? Ano ang kakayahan ni Noynoy Aquino sa local government?" Gordon said. "Hindi pa siya nasubukan ni sa barangay captain. Even in legislature, ano ang batas na nagawa niya na nararamdaman na ng taong-bayan?” he pointed out.
“You have had in your family a president, a vice president, four senators, congressmen, governors, lahat ng pwesto sa Tarlac, pero how is Tarlac?"

Bataan execs support Gibo

from People's Journal
http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?issue=2010-01-06&sec=17&aid=111090

Bataan execs support Gibo BATAAN is an industrial powerhouse waiting to be tapped, Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. Tuesday said, vowing more developmental infrastructure for the area to develop it into a lynchpin of Central Luzon’s economy.

Some 6,000 students chanting “Dapat Gibo” warmly welcomed Teodoro during a campus tour at the Bataan Peninsula State University, where he outlined an economic blueprint for Bataan, site of a major freeport and shipyard and a teeming commercial hub at the former U.S. Naval Base at Subic.

Bataan has more than sufficient skilled labor, enlightened local leadership and an educated youth sector that Teodoro said comprised the “elements of a modern industry” to make it the most progressive province in Central Luzon.

“More modern roads, bridges and commmunication networks will make this a reality,” Teodoro said.

Bongbong now at No. 10 in Senatorial Poll

from  http://bongbongm.com/?p=555

WITH national elections just over four months away, Congressman Bongbong Marcos has climbed to No. 10 in the senatorial rankings according to the second Standard Today survey, which is being conducted monthly by the national daily.

The youthful solon from Ilocos Norte made a remarkable climb from nowhere in getting the nod of 38% of the 2500 registered voters interviewed nationwide from December 6 to 12, 2009. Bongbong announced his plans to run for the Senate in November.