Macapagal-Arroyo leads in three latest surveys

According to the results of a survey conducted by the New York based Roper ASW Asia pacific for Business World survey, President Macapagal Arroyo would win the presidential elections if it were held today; second would be Raul Roco, third Panfilo Lacson; and fourth and last da King.

In another survey conducted by the Makati Business Club, President Macapagal-Arroyo came out way ahead of all presidential candidates as "the most fit and capable of running the country." Last month, the Social Weather Stations for the AMA Group of Companies also showed that Macapagal-Arroyo "possessed the best qualities among the candidates that would help solve the country’s economic problems".

The election campaign will officially start in three days. We believe that it would be to the advantage of all the candidates if they could all agree on the main issues in the coming elections and then, each one presented his stand and program on the issues. Political parties, as we have said have become meaningless. They have no platforms so politicians can go from one party to the other on issues and without a national program.

Lately, Fernando Poe, Jr. has been making the headlines. But it is all negative publicity. First, there is the issue on whether he is a natural-born Filipino. That has not been settled to this day. And now, the headline story on him is about his having an illegitimate son. We agree with him that that is not an election issue. But it would be much, much better if he brought out matters that he believes are the issues. So far no one has the faintest idea of what his program of government is. And the longer he waits, the more people are getting convinced that he may not even have one.

If not all candidates can agree on the issues of this coming election, perhaps the three leading candidates, at least, can come out with a common stand. It will make the elections more meaningful and interesting. It will also reduce name-calling and substituting entertainment instead of speeches during the campaign.

We have been watching elections since before the war and we must say that they were more meaningful in the past. People attended election rallies to personally hear what the candidates have to say. Now, it is mostly a hakot crowd and they are generally paid to attend meetings. The good thing is that so far, there is no reason to believe that the coming election is not going to be peaceful and orderly. That is the main thing. But it can only be meaningful if it is over issues and not personalities. What are our economic problems? What are their solutions?