The Election campaign  for national positions in the Philippines  is officially  on!  To many people  it is the start of fiestas and carnivals where candidates show their wares – they sing & dance,  do fiery speeches attacking political opponents, invite movie, radio/television personalities to attract  more people to  their political rallies and meetings. To the Class D & E  these are  welcome  opportunities   to enjoy  free foods and entertainment  compliments of the candidates.

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Everytime this country   encounters  an economic crisis or  a grave peace & order situation,  people tend to  blame the  elected officials whom   they perceive are inept and  corrupt  and are only good in political speeches  and grandstanding. Ask people hanging around in coffee and barber shops and they will tell you how tired and hopeless this country has become unless the electorate wakes up and elect somebody this time   who is truly  honest and  incorruptible, and most of all  God-fearing . But the problem with our electorate  when election time comes is that  they still rally behind  candidates though with doubtful integrity are popular and leading in surveys and for them will be sure winners.   Why can’t we as an enlightened people  vote with our clear conscience and cast our vote on a candidate though unknown has unblemished record and the passion to serve.  It is about time we  become more responsible voters .  We are to be blamed if get the same  rotten apples to serve the country whom we helped put in office just because we did not vote wisely and responsibly.

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In the latest survey of Pulse Asia, the lead of  Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, Jr. from  Senator Manuel Villar was down to just two points. Can Senator Noynoy maintain his lead? Continuous drop of Noynoy’s popularity can endanger his presidential ambition. I am sure the camp of Noynoy is  worried  and working double time to maintain or widen the lead.

Not only because Sen. Manny Villar was  spending a lot of money on political advertisements , a  reason  for his  increased  popularity but also because  Senator Noynoy has no strong foundation via  his performance as a congressman for nine years and three years as a senator. The only reason for his upsurge popularity was the effect of  the  death of his mother, former President Cory Aquino. The other plus factor   is  the perception that he is the least to commit graft & corruption among the presidentiables.

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With trillions of pesos  allocated  in the new   national budget of the Philippine government,  where will Juan de la Cruz get the amount? Will this big amount benefit the people or only the politicians & government officials? How much of this amount will go to where it is intended  to go?  How much will go to ghost delivery? How much will go to overpricing and kick-backs? How much will go to pork barrel? If the leadership cannot do something to curb graft & corruption in  government,  the Filipino people can expect the worst – the  imposition of  more  taxes.

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Telling  celebrities  to take a leave of absence from  their TV/radio programs if they are doing an endorsement on a political candidate is an  unpopular move by the Comelec. As long as they don’t endorse the  candidates in their program there is no need for them  to go on  leave. They are talents and  not  employees of the network. Our voters are intelligent,  they cannot be dictated by political advertisements.

Well, if the Comelec cannot change their ruling, with the big amount of money celebrities get as talent fees for political advertisements,  they can  take a vacation for two to three months and still live in comfort.

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As member of the Senate,  Senator Gringo Honasan showed his true color and disappointed his constituents when he gave an uncalled for advice to his mistah in the Philippine Military Academy, Senator Ping Lacson,  to hide and  evade arrest like what he did when he plotted a coup.  Where is respect for the law?  As  high government officials, both of them are giving wrong signals in a democracy that we want to keep. He should advice Senator Lacson to surrender and face the music and not  hide if he is not guilty.

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Last week I registered my car at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and was dismayed to  find out that they ran out of 2010 stickers.  The reason they gave was they did not  foresee the  many new vehicles which registered in the first month of the year. Is this a valid  reason? Is this not  incompetence? Is this not  lack of planning  and foresight   of  a large  income generating branch of government?

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Last year, Grace Padaca, the governor of Isabela was unseated in the recounting made by the Comelec. This year, Bulacan Governor Joselito Mendoza and Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio also loss in the recounting of votes. Where can you put the blame? The candidates or the Comelec? Maybe if there is better efficiency and  supervision in the conduct of elections, complaints and recounting of votes   can be avoided. Justice will be served expeditiously and less disunity among candidates and their constituents.

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The mayoralty fight in Manila is one very interesting event  to watch this coming election. The protagonist are the incumbent mayor Alfredo Lim, a former high ranking manila police officer, former NBI director and former senator; former Manila mayor, Lito Atienza, former Secretary of Environment & Natural Resources; and General Avelino Razon, former chief, Philippine National Police and former chief of the Manila Police District.

Lim and Atienza are former political allies years ago turned bitter political rivals; Razon served as chief of Manila Police during the reign of Atienza as mayor; while Lim and Razon were both former Manila police officers. So, it is a fight between a young candidate with small political base but served Manila as police chief; a former mayor who like to unseat his political rival, the  incumbent mayor who beat his son in the last mayoralty election; and the present. mayor, Alfredo Lim

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Another interesting bout to watch is the  mayoralty fight in Makati  among  Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado, a long time ally of Mayor Jojo Binay,  now a vice presidential candidate of former President Erap Estrada; former Senator Butch Aquino  who was a former Congressman of Makati and another political ally of Mayor Binay; and another strong  aspirant Jun Binay, the son of the incumbent mayor. Jun Binay will definitely rely on the machinery of his father, while Vice Mayor Mercado and Aquino will rely on their established relationship with the people of Makati.