How GMA defined the 2010 presidential elections

Madame Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) is the single biggest determining factor in the 2010 presidential elections. In fact, if you look at what the credible SWS and Pulse Asia surveys are saying - GMA has determined the probable winner and losers of the 2010 presidential elections.

The results of the Pulse Asia nationwide survey which were released last December 3 underscored what is believed to be GMA’s ‘kiss of death’ endorsement. The survey showed that 79% or 4 out of 5 Filipinos will not support any candidate endorsed by GMA.

With 79% of Filipinos saying that they won’t support a GMA candidate, your Chair Wrecker thinks it is inaccurate to call the public sentiment a mere expression of dislike or dissatisfaction. If it is a mere dislike or dissatisfaction, a good administration candidate should not be that badly affected. But when 79% of Filipinos are set to junk a GMA candidate, it is closer to what can be called a HATE GMA public sentiment being expressed.

Secretary Serge Remonde had the gall to call Senator Noynoy Aquino’s platform of government a HATE platform. Remonde should not be surprised when a lot of people tend to agree with Conrad de Quiros who sees him as the Palace Court Jester. In fact, Remonde should thank Conrad de Quiros for merely associating him with a Palace Court Jester because he could easily be associated with something worse.

If Remonde is to be truthful and logical, he must acknowledge that it is his boss — GMA — who generated the HATE that Filipinos are now expressing through their voting preference. Noynoy’s platform merely reflects the aspiration of many Filipinos to remove the evil that GMA inflicted and establish the good that Filipinos want in its place.

What right thinking patriotic Filipino will not hate plunder, hypocrisy, human rights violations, massive election fraud, failed and corrupted institutions, plots to change the Constitution just to serve selfish ends, the cultivation of murderers like those behind the Maguindanao Massacre, the contempt for public disclosure and transparency?

The political fortunes of Noynoy Aquino and Gilbert Teodoro are products of the misrule and abuse of power of GMA. It was GMA who rekindled the longing for another era like that of the late president Cory C. Aquino. This in turn turned public attention to Noynoy Aquino as the best means to reliving that bright shining moment when we Filipinos had a president we could trust not to lie, cheat or steal from us.

Look at how Gilbert Teodoro is floundering. Sure his rating jumped by 300% in the Edward Hagedorn commissioned November SWS “Single Choice” survey — but that is from 1% to 3%. He is 42% behind Noynoy in the last Pulse Asia survey and 44% behind Noynoy in the November SWS survey. Under different circumstances and political affiliation, Teodoro should be doing much better.

That Teodoro is not rating well isn’t because of weak public awareness and recognition. Teodoro had much more public exposure compared to Noynoy Aquino before August 1, 2009, the day Cory Aquino passed away. Most Filipinos know Teodoro but they also know that he is GMA’s boy.

No matter how Teodoro tries to distance himself from GMA, he cannot avoid the odor of GMA from sticking to him. It matters not if they avoided the traditional raising of the anointed candidate’s hand during the Lakas Kampi CMD Convention. Filipinos know that Teodoro equates to more of GMA.

Teodoro did a commendable act during the December 2 ANC Harapan (Face Off) of 2010 presidential candidates when he explained why he is standing by GMA. However, that admirable act of loyalty will not distract many Filipinos from wanting to exterminate all vestiges of GMA and her regime.

It also further doomed Teodoro’s candidacy when he vowed during the Lakas Kampi CMD Executive Committee September 16, 2009 meeting to continue the “good” policies of the GMA regime and pursue Charter change. Easily 79% of Filipinos do not see anything good in the GMA regime. GMA’s congressional bid heightened fears of a GMA political resurrection through Charter change. Teodoro only reinforced the fears of many.

A look at how all the presidential candidates who are associated with GMA have been rating proves the disastrous effect of being linked with her. Bayani Fernando, Noli de Castro, Jun Ebdane and Dick Gordon all tailed known Opposition members like Manny Villar, Joseph Estrada, Chiz Escudero, Mar Roxas and Noynoy Aquino. Despite their claims of being independent, de Castro and Gordon, Vice President and once Tourism Secretary of GMA respectively, did not escape the public backlash.

Gilbert Teodoro is running a clever campaign. He is trying as much as possible to distance himself from GMA while GMA is also trying to distance herself from her anointed. In fact, in attempting to project himself as a transformer, Teodoro is sounding more like Noynoy Aquino.

However, it will be extremely difficult for Teodoro to disassociate himself from the very person who created the conditions which triggered the Noynoy phenomenon. GMA’s anointed can’t credibly sell himself as the president who will reform GMA’s mess — not when many see him as GMA’s clone.

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Chair Wrecker e-mail and website: [email protected] and www.chairwrecker.com