MANILA, Philippines - At 72, former President Joseph Estrada is the most experienced among the 10 presidential candidates running in the May 10 elections.
He had been in public service for the past 40 years, a popular movie actor before that, and he shows no signs of slowing down, despite bum knees that needed surgery a few years ago.
His work habits – or lack thereof – have been much maligned and lampooned, but Estrada stands by his record as public servant and points to his continued popularity with the masses as his greatest vindication.
Some say Estrada could no longer withstand the rigors of another nationwide campaign but, with characteristic humor, Estrada said that he is a “bionic man” for having titanium in his knees.
Estrada claimed that he has not been sick since he was a child - colds yes, but never a fever or other illness.
In an interview with The STAR, Estrada said the 1998 presidential run and the present campaign have little difference because of the same warm reception from the people in the provinces, towns and cities all over the country.
Estrada has been making the rounds through his “Lakbay Pasasalamat” caravan since October 2007, after he was pardoned following his conviction for plunder.
He had been in “rest house detention” in his Tanay, Rizal estate for six and a half years.
Estrada said that contrary to what his critics say are his bad habits, his day starts with regular exercise at 6 a.m.
After a shower, he usually has breakfast with his wife, Dr. Loi Estrada, his political adviser former ambassador Ernesto Maceda, and others.
His breakfast includes coffee, his favorite pan de sal, fried eggs, kesong puti, sometimes danggit, bacon, omelette and fried rice.
Estrada takes around eight cups of coffee a day, down from as much as 24 cups when he was an actor. “We lived on coffee because filming is usually at night and we had to stay awake,” he told The STAR.
But Estrada insists he no longer drinks hard liquor. “I stopped drinking hard liquor when I became vice president. I just drink wine.”
On the campaign trail, Estrada does not bring a packed lunch.
Estrada, who has consistently declared that he is very healthy based on his most recent general check-up at the Cardinal Santos Hospital in San Juan City, still eats lechon (roast pig), chicharon (pork crackling) and other tasty dishes served by his hosts during his campaign sorties.
“We eat what the host provides. Usually in the provinces, we have been blessed and our hosts usually provide lechon and other delicacies. President Estrada is always grateful to eat what they have to offer,” spokesperson Margaux Salcedo said.
But one thing that Estrada cannot do without is his bag where he keeps his checkered polo shirts.
A coaster carrying an ice chest filled with bottled mineral water also trails Estrada’s campaign vehicle.
The coaster also serves as Estrada’s refuge for catnaps between sorties.
Estrada always makes it a point to change clothes, especially after a grueling motorcade under the hot sun.
Other musts are his trademark jacket and the wristband on his right hand, which has a scar from an injury sustained years ago during the shooting of a scene of an action movie about the Japanese occupation.
Salcedo, who has accompanied Estrada since day one of his “Lakbay Pasasalamat,” said that not much has changed in Estrada’s daily routine.
“It’s pretty much the same, although more frequently now,” Salcedo said.
Estrada admitted that the campaign is tiring since he has to work double time because fund contribution is less compared to the 1998 presidential elections.
“The bad economy caused hardship among the businessmen, that is why there are few who contribute to the campaign,” Estrada said.
Man with a mission
Estrada said his wife Loi is also busy campaigning for him.
“We divide our destinations. We just celebrated our golden wedding anniversary in Dec. 6 last year. We are now separated in the campaign like what we did in 1998,” Estrada said.
Although the campaign takes much of his time, Estrada said Loi understands his decision to run again for president.
Estrada said it is fulfilling to see that, in his little way, he is helping the poor Filipino masses.
He has always stated in his speeches that he owes whatever he has to the poor Filipino masses.
“She knows that I have a mission. I still want to continue all my pro-poor programs which I failed to do because my term was cut short to only two years and a half. We are on the verge of progress, but I failed to continue that because of EDSA Dos. The late President Cory Aquino, Bishop Antonio Tobias and Secretary Perfecto Yasay have admitted that EDSA Dos was a mistake. That vindicates me,” Estrada said.
Estrada also denied that he maintained a “midnight Cabinet” during his aborted presidency.
“The elite conspired for my ouster. They also fed lies to the public from day one of my presidency. There was no midnight Cabinet during my presidency. But it’s true that we work late because we are discussing the problems of the country then,” Estrada said.
Estrada insists that government prosecutors failed to prove that he had stolen even a single centavo from government coffers.
“I left Malacañang, not because of fear, but because I know that there will be bloodshed and I don’t want that to happen,” Estrada said.
“They have created a lot of black propaganda against me from day one of my administration because they know that their whims and caprices will not fit well under my administration because of my pro-poor programs,” Estrada said.
Among the 10 presidential candidates, Estrada said he is the only “TRUE Opposition.”
His rivals, Senators Noynoy Aquino of the Liberal Party (LP) and Manny Villar of the Nacionalista Party (NP), cannot be called opposition because they are part of EDSA Dos that worked for his ouster.
“That is why I ran, because the opposition failed to unite. They are also divided right now,” Estrada said.
Apparently referring to Villar, who was Speaker when the impeachment against him was tackled in the House of Representatives, Estrada said one of the presidential bets even banged the gavel to railroad the impeachment trial against him.
Should he be given a fresh mandate, Estrada said he will prioritize three things: “achieving peace and order all over the country, food security and ending graft and corruption.”
Estrada said he will not allow Mrs. Arroyo to become House speaker if she is elected congresswoman of Pampanga.
“I don’t want to think about it. But I’m sure she will never become speaker. All things have limitations. She is the luckiest president that the country ever had because she has served for nine years. Pity on Filipinos if she will be allowed to become House speaker. All the surveys showed negative for her trust rating. The World Bank said we are the most corrupt country in Asia. Transparency International said we are the number one most corrupt country in the world. Enough of her,” Estrada said.
Estrada said he does not also need to appoint people from his presidential rivals in the May elections.
“I am very proud of my Cabinet. They are all clean and they are still intact. They created a Task Force during my incarceration to review all the contracts entered into during my administration, but they have not found any anomalous transactions,” Estrada said.
He said some presidential candidates have offered to reimburse all the expenses that he incurred in the campaign in exchange for his withdrawal from the May 10 presidential elections, but he turned all of them down.
“I will not withdraw. My son Jinggoy is running for senator under my party. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is also running under my party for senator. Can I leave my son Jinggoy, Senate President Enrile and the other senatoriables running under the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino? No. I cannot abandon them. I am running to fulfill my promise to the Filipino people of uplifting their lives,” Estrada reiterated.