‘Don’t be swayed by goons, guns or gold’

"Do not be swayed by guns, goons and gold."

President Arroyo issued this appeal yesterday to the country’s 35 million registered voters who will troop to the polls in today’s local and national elections, viewed by many as a proxy battle between her and her predecessor, disgraced President Joseph Estrada.

The President noted that the Filipino electorate is now more politically mature and would vote on the basis of issues rather than on personalities.

"As the mother of the Filipino nation, I urge everyone to vote according to conscience," Mrs. Arroyo said in a message aired on radio after she made the rounds of depressed areas in Tondo, Manila.

A mother of three, the petite, deeply religious 54-year-old president underscored parental concerns in her message. "If we think of our children and their future, we will vote for those who can do good things for them," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo said she would need an overwhelming majority in the Senate to enact meaningful reforms.

She also urged the people to guard their votes to prevent cheating by unscrupulous politicians.

At stake in today’s elections are 13 of the 24 Senate seats, 262 slots in the House of Representatives and over 17,000 provincial, municipal and city posts.

In an interview with the Cable News Network (CNN), Mrs. Arroyo said Filipinos "love to vote because they see elections as a way of achieving change."

"They are beginning to understand issues rather than patronage. That’s why I took pains to have new faces (in my government) from the civil society," she said.

She admitted that troubles erupted after the abrupt transition of power due to the arrest and detention of Estrada and the Labor Day siege on Malacañang by forces loyal to the disgraced leader.

To eradicate the divisiveness and distrust of the government among the poor, the Chief Executive said she went out of her way to reach out to them and implement programs designed to improve the quality of their life.

Mrs. Arroyo also admitted that during her first unscheduled visit to the so-called Smokey Mountain, a blighted community in Tondo, she was met with unsavory remarks.

She said she decided to go back to the place to find out the reasons for such distrust.

"After hearing the complaints and concerns of the residents, I immediately called up my Cabinet members who had jurisdiction over those matters and they started to work," the President said.

"I think Philippine democracy has shown itself to be resilient and strong and I hope it can be strengthened more by the feeling of the poor that they are benefiting from the fruits of democracy," Mrs. Arroyo added.

She clarified that her controversial declaration of a state of rebellion in Metro Manila to quash an attempt to take over the government by force had the support of wide sectors of society, and would boost the chances of the pro-administration senatorial candidates.

She said national healing could be achieved if the government would be sensitive to the grievances of the people.

Mrs. Arroyo noted that investor confidence in the local market appeared to have been restored, as indicated by Friday’s upsurge in the stock exchange, saying it was the biggest recovery in her three-month-old administration.

In her first weeks in power, Mrs. Arroyo shored up the support of the military, the police and the Catholic church.

She promised more benefits to the policemen and the troops.

A nationwide survey conducted late last month showed that 42 percent of the people were satisfied with her performance as against 25 percent who were dissatisfied.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Arroyo and son Mikey will vote in her hometown of Lubao, Pampanga, while First Gentleman Mike Arroyo will cast his ballot in La Vista, Quezon City.

The President will vote at Precinct 1-A at the East Central Elementary School which has 196 registered voters. She will be assisted by poll clerk Luzviminda Neri.

Welcoming the President at the school would be Pampanga Gov. Lito Lapid, Philippine National Police regional director Enrique Galang and Comelec regional director Nicolas Fontelera.

Mikey is seeking the vice-governorship of Pampanga under the Lakas-NUCD banner.