Popularity contest in May 2010

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO
March L. Fianza

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Gawin nalang nilang Guy en Pip at Vi en Bot ang labanan sa election ng Pilipinas! Referring to popular rival teen idols of the 60’s Nora Aunor-Tirso Cruz III and Vilma Santos-Edgar M Ortiz, I could imagine how this line is uttered with that familiar mischievous smile by Pendong Aban of Ang Grupong Pendong and former member of the Asin folkmusic group.

True to our expectations, the elections next year will be star-studded. This seems like our political strategists found a new (or is that old) tactic yle in addition to the mudslinging that has already started by some camps and the lavish spending on media ads.

Last week, Atty. Gilbert Teodoro, Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard bearer chose actor and TV host Edu Manzano as his running mate after several possible and qualified unofficial nominees were mentioned, to include incumbent VP Noli de Castro, actress and Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos, actor and Sen. Bong Revilla, and Sen. Loren Legarda.

Political analysts say Teodoro’s move was “desperate" proving that nobody from among those that Malacanang previously “pursued” did not want to be paired with him.

Candidates usually choose popular actors or actresses to go with them either as running mates or campaigners, in order to pull up survey ratings.

For Teodoro, it is very clear that he needed a running mate that could help bring the voting masses closer to him. Admittedly in one of those media interviews, Manzano said he will help improve Teodoro’s survey ratings. And so, Manzano’s role during the campaign, like any other celebrity, would only be to gather crowds from the masa during rallies. But to turn that popularity into votes remains to be seen.

Manzano lost to Jejomar Binay, Erap’s running mate to be, in the mayoral contest of 2001 in Makati . They will again be fighting on opposite camps, but this time as vice presidential bets. Soon, people will be saying and asking: “Manzano lost to Binay in Makati . Will he win nationwide?”

The other senatorial bets under the administration party who are actors, TV hosts or radio broadcasters are senators Bong Revilla and Lito Lapid, former senator Tito Sotto and broadcaster Rey Langit.

The administration party’s most desperate move, if this will happen, is Sec. Ed Ermita’s statement that they are considering taking in boxing hero Manny Pacquiao in the senatorial slate.

If what this administration wants is to sustain its hold over the country, then they might as well consider replacing Teodoro and launch a “Pacquiao for President” movement instead. Give it to the man; he is really the most popular person in the world today. Yehey, Pacquiao for President!

By the way, some sectors are puzzled why two good individuals who have been very loyal to GMA and who are excellent material for the presidency or vice presidency are not even being mentioned by the administration party.

I always had the strange feeling that if either MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando or DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. were chosen as administration presidential bet, the political landscape could have been very different and the polarity of the surveys could have been better.

Well, sori na lang. GMA and her political allies and advisers have other agenda in mind, personal or otherwise. Apparently, Bayani and Ebdane do not fit in the agenda of GMA and her allies. It may be, because the two engineers are perceived to be independent-minded, and there is the strong possibility that the agenda after they get elected may neither be sustained nor supported.

On the other hand, Senator Manny Villar who is standard bearer for the Nacionalista Party has not announced an official senatorial slate. However, he got the support of Vice Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno, also an actor turned politician who now heads the group who calls itself Asenso Manileno.

Aside from having vast financial resources, the NP last week took in Loren Legarda, former anchorperson of ABS-CBN. She belongs to the NPC party of Danding Cojuanco but co-party members, they will necessarily support Villar.

As of late, many NPC members expressed support for Legarda, even if she is known for changing alliances.

As with the other parties, there are celebrities who are supportive of the party line-up but are not necessarily running for a particular office. Under the Liberal Party line-up of Noynoy and Mar, they have the support of TV host celebrities Kris Aquino Korina Sanchez-Roxas, their circle of actors, actresses and movie personalities.

Recently, the LP took in former senator and NEDA head Ralph Recto. Where the husband went, the wife followed and so LP added another strong supporter in the person of Batangas Governor and veteran movie actress Vilma Santos.

Certainly, this presidential election will be interesting especially for the mahilig sa artista. But despite that unavoidable strategy that Philippine election leads to, hopefully our voters could still avoid choosing candidates who spend lavishly or candidates who could entertain them, but choose from candidates who could really bring the needed change in the country.

Guy en Pip, Ara Mina, Manny Pacquiao? Your choice. – marchfianza777@yahoo.com