I’ve voted for Richard “Dick†Gordon since he first ran for national public office, beginning as candidate in the Constitutional Convention of 1970. I am voting him as my No. 2 senatorial candidate in the May 2013 senatorial election. (You will know in time who is my No. 1.) Except for his losing in his presidential bid in 2010, he has been in the top bracket of winners. That’s why I am dismayed by the results of poll surveys showing him outside the Magic 12 circle.
But I take heart from the results of mock polls showing him as top choice of students in both exclusive and non-exclusive schools. The surveys show the students rating him as possessing the desirable qualities in government leaders — honesty, commitment and hard work.
Why take student mock polls seriously? Not only do students comprise a big chunk of the electorate. They also reflect the idealism of the youth, so far untainted by the vagaries of veteran voters. With these assumptions, Dick may well pull an upset over early frontrunners in other surveys once the actual votes are counted in May.
The first mock election was held at the Ateneo de Manila University, which garnered for the former senator 71 percent of the votes in a Feb. 1-15 survey conducted by the Ateneo Statistics (A-Stat) Circle.
The second poll was conducted among 400 respondents each in the University of the East, Centro Escolar University, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, and San Jose Recoletos. The poll, conducted by the Local Government Development Foundation (Logodef) among 1,600 respondents in the four schools at Manila’s university belt, Dick was ranked No. 4.
Dick’s ranking in these surveys is in marked contrast to the results of other surveys, particularly the Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia, that showed the candidate, running under the banner of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA)  and now chairman of the Philippine Red Cross outside the winning circle.
Logodef’s executive director, Edmund Tayao, said, “While the mock polls cannot follow the strict statistical requirements of a regular survey of would-be voters, it reflects the preferences of the students of voting age, as well as the teaching and non-teaching staff of four universities that took part.â€
The results also showed, Logodef noted, that most of the candidates who ranked close to the winning circle — the 14th to the 18th spots — are an indication that youth voters value experience and track record.
Incidentally, Dick also emerged as the topnotcher in the survey conducted by radio station DZXL-RMN with respondents, with 64.69 percent of the votes cast.
Dick is known as the man behind the rousing success of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone as a catalyst for economic growth in the country in the 1990s. While a senator for 2004-2010, he pushed his vision for a growth area in Central Luzon even further by championing legislation in the Senate that sought to enhance investment in the region.
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One of the most effective government agencies today is the Land Transportation Office (LTO) headed by Assistant Secretary Virginia Torres. I say that out of my personal experience as an applicant for car registration and driver’s license renewal. Unlike before, it took only from 20-30 minutes to get my car registered and driver’s license renewed.
This quick and efficient action is due to the management style of Asec Torres. I once forwarded a letter from a complainant who had just arrived from the United States and paid more than P3,000 for a driver’s license. Asec Torres quickly responded, and mobilized the whole LTO Tarlac branch to look for the “fixer.†The guy could not be found, and no LTO staff came forward to admit committing the crime. This infuriated the Asec, whose policy is to be done forever with fixers, and get things done quickly.
The Chief is not only one of President P-Noy’s “shooting†buddy; better yet, she is one of his most trusted, hard-working executives. The job of making things work at the agency is not easy, she told media persons at Tuesday’s Bulong Pulungan sa Sofitel Philippine Plaza. Her agency, as of 2012, processed 13 million driver’s licenses, issued 7.4 million motor vehicles, and 3.4 million motorcycles. She has had to deal with irate drivers and bus operators and fixers and face lawsuits.
Among the reforms and plans at the agency is the strict implementation of RA 10054 mandating all motorcycle riders to wear standard protective helmets while driving. Penalties are from P1,500 to P10,000 and confiscation of the drivers license for violations of the law.
Then there is the one-stop-one-shop program. An LTO desk is assigned in some shopping malls where motorists can apply — in a short time — for licenses and permits. This program is a big help for drivers who do not have time to go to LTO branches during weekdays.
Another reform is the Motorcycle Safety Learn to ride Program. To carry out LTO’s policy to promote motorcycle safety and to license quality drivers/riders, LTO entered into a memorandum of agreement last year with Suzuki Philippines Incorporated for the implementation of the program. This consists of two-day riding clinics that combine lecture and hands-on riding skill demonstration. Participants who earn certificates will not be required to take actual riding tests for a driver’s license, although they are not exempt from taking the required written examination.
There is renewed effort to comply with the memorandum circular requiring motor vehicles to carry the Early Warning Device. This is a revised version of LOI No. 229 to promote road safety and to protect road users “from the ruinous impact of road crashes.â€
Another program on the drawing boards is the standardization of vehicle plates that enable police enforcers to spot fake plates and color coding violators.
It takes a good government executive to make things work, and at the LTO, the good executive happens to be a woman.
I hope nobody cajoles Asec Torres into running for senator or congresswoman. LTO and the riding and driving public need her.
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E-mail:dominitorrevillas@gmail.com