Ain’t giving up

While in the thick of editing a very interesting book on coincidences  or miracles, my landline and mobile phone keep ringing, with callers promoting products and looking for my son who has been living in another part of  the country  for a quarter of a century, and also asking menial questions like the availability of  household helps, and, you guessed it, who my presidential candidate is. My answer is like yours – don’t know yet. We’ve got to seriously study the people we’d like to lead us and the nation to a better future.

Wherever we go, the engaging conversations revolve around politicos. Although Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte told all and sundry that he is not running for president, his supporters are still hoping that PDP-Laban would announce that he would be running as its official candidate for president as substitute for the fellow who filed his certificate of candidacy last Oct. 16.

As the practice goes, a presidential candidate can still run as a substitute candidate for president on Dec. 10. Speculations run high about the PDP-Laban fielding Duterte as its standard bearer. But word about the political party fielding a Martin Dino as its standard bearer has caused no small amount of concern. Why would the party field Martin Dino, an unknown, a former barangay captain and now head of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), to fight against political heavyweights who have been figuring prominently in popularity surveys and have declared their presidential bids?

Buoyed perhaps by his supporters’ clamor that he run for the top post of the land, Duterte continues to tease speculations that he is after all interested in the political position. He told media, including The STAR’s reporter in Davao Edith Regalado that he would “leave it  to God if he wants me there, he will place me there. Ganoon iyan. (It’s like that). It’s God’s play. It’s not ours.”

Among Duterte’s  ardent supporters is Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who said Duterte is “a truly reformist president” who will “either be the best president we’ve ever had or the best president we’ve never had. It is his choice (but) we join our people in praying that he will make the right decision.” Cayetano is running for vice president as an independent, and if Duterte and he team up, they would complement each other’s track records, Duterte  as a crime-buster, and he,  as a member of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, as a fighter against graft and corruption.

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An issue that continues to titillate  is  the disqualification and residency cases filed against Grace Poe, who is running for president. No candidate has stirred up so much controversy than the “foundling” who has to prove that she is a natural-born citizen and has stayed in the country within the residency requirement for presidential – or even senatorial candidates. She continues to top surveys, but the uncertainty of the High Court ruling on cases filed against her may be discouraging financial supporters from giving all-out support for her.

And the latest titillating development is the entrance of Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago into the fray. A university-led online poll shows her lording it over all other presidential aspirants. She got 71.3 percent of some 80,000 votes cast. Her rivals in the presidential contest lag behind, with Mar Roxas getting 11.9 percent, and Vice President Jejomar Binay, 3.2 per cent. She was quoted as saying, “The youth have always been my formidable allies. When I first ran for president, it was young Filipinos who wanted reform.” Miriam’s colorful language attracts young people, but instills fear in the hearts of her opponents.

Miriam’s running is titillating, considering that not so long ago, she admitted that she had stage 4 lung cancer. And yet she continued to perform her role as a home-based senator who filed bills and spoke her mind on issues. This is her third stab at the top government position. She said, “The third time is always (the best time).” She ran under the People’s Reform Party. The Internet, her media bureau said, has radically  revolutionized the way young people think and how they would like to vote. “In 1992, it was the young people who taught the old people.”

I asked a lawyer about his choice for president, and his quick answer was “Grace,” and without batting an eyelash, “Leni for vice-president.” Yes, it would be interesting to have two women running the country’s state of affairs.

At a small party in Forbes Park, the winning candidate was Mar, with the hostess saying his honesty, credibility and sincerity are beyond question. “And that’s what we need – a president you can trust your life with.”

As to Vice-President Binay, six (43%)  in a group of 14, said they were for Jojo because “he can connect with the masses, he understands how the poor feel and what they need.”

And so the discussions continue. Clearly, there’s a need to have leaders who can lead.

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As to the senatorial candidates, we have friends running for office. We shall devote space to candidates who have the interest of the nation at heart. Dick Gordon, Martin Romualdez, Roman Romulo, Joel Villanueva, Ping Lacson, Kiko Pangilinan, Dionisio Santiago, Manny Lopez, Rey Langit, Migz Zubiri, Princess Kiram, Rizza Hontiveros and many others.

Again, we reiterate the need for candidates, from the presidential down to the senatorial levels, to engage in public debates as suggested by former Senator Dick Gordon, so we know how they feel and think about crucial issues.

We watched the televised debates among the presidential candidates in the US, and were impressed by the way they conducted themselves on stage, and for the world to see. Donald Trump was a boastful man who came across as feeling superior to the rest of Washington’s legislators. The funny thing is the Americans seemed to lap up everything he said. On the other hand, former US  State Secretary Hillary Clinton showed class in parrying accusations and ably defending her action concerning the Benghazi incident against the Republican congressmen who needled her and wanted to embarrass her. But Hillary was cool and collected.

  Going back to our local candidates, I like to  remind Congressman Manny Pacquiao to attend sessions regularly in the Senate in case he wins.

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