Blog Attack: Philippine Elections Blog Watch 2007: Team Unity

With the upcoming Senatorial Elections in the next few months, the candidates will be once again begging for our votes- song and dance and all. Now, I dont know about the rest of you, I know a lot of people who doesn't bother to vote anyway- Filipinos who have given up for the kind of leadership that we have endured in the past several decades. Let's take a closer look with the Senatorial Candidates.

Team Unity:

1. Sultan Jamalul Kiram III - The Sultan of Sulu, the token Muslim in the largely Christian senatorial ticket. Kiram is relatively a newcomer to the national politics, his family figuring in the continuing dispute between Malaysia and the Philippines over the ownership of Sabah. The Malaysian government supposedly sends a small stipend to the royal family of the Sulu Sultanate as a "rent" for Sabah. As history tells it, Sabah was a gift by the Sultan of Brunei to the Sultan of Sulu as an expression of gratitude for the suppression of a violent revolt in North Borneo. When the British East India Company took over several estates of the island, the Britons upon granting Malaysia independence instead handed over the land that were not theirs in the first place to the newly formed Federation of Malaysia. In case elected, it is now a big question what this would mean in the context of Philippine-Malaysian relations. The question is will he win?


2. Edgardo Angara - Angara was the University of the Philippines President when the Socialized Tuition Fee Assistance Program was born. With the inept handling of the program, tuition soared, while many financially-challenged but deserving students got measly and delayed stipends. Rumor has it that it is some sort of Angara's revenge when his very own son failed the dreaded UPCAT. Angara is also credited for being the political undertaker of the ousted President Joseph Estrada. While everyone was jumping out of the sinking ship, Angara prepared the funeral for the political death of Estrada. Taking care of the last minutes of the embattled womanizer as Erap leaves Malacañang.


3. Joker Arroyo - One of Martial Law's staunchest critics and figured well in the Estrada impeachment (which have helped to catapult his fading career into the national TV primetime). Arroyo though a harsh critic of GMA stopped short of asking her to step down. Smart move.


4. Ralph Recto - Along with Joker Arroyo, Francis Pangilinan and Manny Villar, Recto forms part of the Wednesday Group. Like Arroyo, Recto has ridden on the usual rhetoric that runs contrary to GMA but stopped short of asking her to resign. Husband to famous actress Vilma Santos, with his Mestizo looks, political pedigree and his wife showbiz wattage, Recto is a virtual shoo-in for the position (despite gossips of philandering ways, Recto manages to still project a squeaky clean image on the tele.)


5. Teresa Aquino-Oreta - Balato Queen, Dancing Queen- one of the most reviled Senators ever in the history of Philippine politics. The cameras trained on the Senate floor during the Estrada impeachment case, the sister of the bourgeios revolution hero Ninoy Aquino couldnt help herself as she breaks into a jig after along with other pro-Estrada Senators voted not to open the second envelope. Aquino-Oreta's nephew Noynoy runs under the Opposition ticket - a surefire way to make sure that the interests of Hacienda Luisita is well-represented in the Senate? Used to be a mainstay in the Opposition fence until she got bumped out by the newer kids on the block.

6. Vicente Sotto III - Tito Sotto as he is most commonly called rose from showbusiness from the comedy trio of Tito, Vic and Joey - the Philippine cinema's version of The Three Stooges. Slammed for his apparent cluelessness and incoherence in the area of national policymaking, Sotto has yet to prove himself in his years in the Senate, which for the lack of the better description for it, a comedic failure- an Estrada leech. Along with Aquino-Oreta, Sotto jumped over to the Administration ticket having lost his seat to the younger kids.


7. Miguel Zubiri - Zubiri hails from the elite families in Mindanao and one of the members of the Spice Boys- a monicker for a posse of young legislators who started their "stellar" terms during the Estrada impeachment. They were young and goodlooking but can they prove anything? The UPLB- bred Agribusiness Major who runs on the platform of improving the Agriculture, used to work in the legislative office of his father, himself a former congressman. Will he make it? Is the Boom-Tarat-Tarat tackiness worth it?

8. Prospero Pichay - Another Mindanaoan, this LaSallista is a staunch GMA supporter was the Commitee Chair of the National Defense in the Lower House during the 12th Congress. He listed his campaign expenses as PhP 38,000.00 (http://www.i-site.ph/Databases/Congress/12thHouse/political/pichay-political.html). Are we missing something here? You honestly believe one can mount a decent campaign for representative for that amount?


9. Vicente Magsaysay - Magsaysay is a well-worn surname in Philippine politics. The Zambales Governor himself was one of the youngest ever elected governors in 1967 at the age of 27. Fast forward 40 years later. I am still clueless of what to make it with him. Capitalizing with his surname with the older voters- unfortunately, Magsaysay is an easy name to forget especially with the geriatrics. Apparently it ended with Jun Magsaysay a few years ago, I dont even remember he did what or which side he was on. Will the Mambo play again? And even then, will anyone be dancing?


10. Carlos Petilla - Carlos who? I laud the government for picking out new leaders but at the last minute? The Leyte governor is virtually unknown to the majority of the voters, a serious handicap if Team Unity is serious of launching a serious assault of reclaiming the Senate from the opposition.Serious enough?


11. Luis Singson - Chavit Singson, a self-confessed Jueteng lord of the Ilocos frontier and former bosom buddy of the deposed President Estrada. Chavit went from sinner to saint overnight in the prevailing anti-Erap sentiments as he lost the numbers game to Atong Ang. Well, sinner to saint to I don't know what I am doing here. Can Ilocos deliver? Will The Solid North remain such?


12. Michael Defensor - I am very distracted watching the "Tol" political ad by Mike Defensor. The video was awkward and I think whoever made the video should be fired. And was it my imagination or was it true- Defensor's seemed a little decayed and looked rotten? Creepy I should say. Defensor has earned snickers everytime he appears on TV as the Dakilang Sipsip - "The Great Buttkisser", he somehow makes it way to the tube everytime. Okay, he is Chiz Escudero - Admin Version.



Next - The Grand and Broad Opposition. ( I mean why would anyone try mimicking GOP- Grand Old Party for crying out loud and make it sound like stink? GBO- as in Gee Bee -Oh??)

At the last minute: Actor Cesar Montano replaced Gov. Petilla for the Senatorial slot. Apparently, Petilla is totally unwinnable. Such a pity. (sic)