Pick your flavor. But how do you choose from such a rich and colorful selection this coming May 2022? Elections in the Philippines should evolve beyond personalities and faces and instead towards the intangible values, principles, and ideals each choice represents. Philippine politics needs to grow up from face and name recall, clans and dynasties to one based on a genuine party-based system, without the annoying turncoatism and ship-jumping that are prevalent in today’s chaotic playing field.
Nowadays a group can just create a new party at a popular politician’s whim and accept politicians of any flavor to join at their convenience. That is why the political landscape resembles a messy nursery school play area riddled with toys where toddlers are allowed unfettered freedom to do whatever they want. Meanwhile Leni brings politics to new lows by persisting in the tired-old playbook of using a color to attract followers, as if Filipinos can be duped like kids to follow a clown with balloons and cotton candy.
On the road to getting to a genuine principles-based party system, a giant step forward would be to associate our choices with the ideals they represent. So let’s drop Leni the clown and let us consider just the more credible candidates in the race.
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Bongbong for Prosperity:
The thrust and direction of the Marcos clan have always been geared towards the revival and glory of the Maharlikans. Their underlying motivation for Filipinos to regain respect among the league of nations is a most basic ingredient for nationalists. That is why Marcos Sr.’s two decades in power had been characterized by nation building and large-scale projects for equipping and empowering Filipinos to be technologically and intellectually advanced. The formula of education, industrial prowess, military might and food security for prosperity has always worked wonders in bringing a nation on its feet. Bongbong is expected to pick up from where his father left off by pursuing the programs and strategies that were abruptly interrupted by the Yellow widow.
Isko for Decency:
Coming out from eating pagpag and sporting just underwear for magazines to make a living, Isko has come a long way with even Oxford and Harvard education under his belt. He speaks with calculated precision and has showcased plans of grandeur for the City of Manila, with a goal of making it a Singapore-class city through beautification, modernization and clean-up projects. Isko projects an image and persona of being polished, well-informed, and clean. Hardly using the foul-mouthed language we had in Digong, it will be a breather for many Filipinos to have a decent and good-looking Isko as top official for the next 6 years.
Manny for Integrity:
Anti-corruption is Manny’s key campaign slogan. As a Bible-trumping born-again Christian, he is not ashamed of quoting verses from scripture to back up his simple logic: if the Bible says it, let’s obey it to ensure all will be well for us. For the only majority-Christian nation on this side of the planet, Manny will probably best represent many Filipinos’ yearning for a moral recovery that the spiritually drought-stricken society badly needs. The fact that he has been sharing his wealth rather than stealing from state coffers is a testament and guarantee that he walks his talk. Putting dishonest officials behind bars (or even on death row) takes political will, and its once in a lifetime that a man who represents honesty is the best policy will grace the political landscape in a country bereft of true and genuine leaders. Honesty is such a lonely word, but here’s Manny to the rescue.
Bato for Order:
To guarantee no letup on the war on drugs and crime, you can choose Duterte’s right-hand man behind the war. Law and Order is what the Police force stands for and what better nation needs policing more than the Philippines? The Philippines has too many rules – that’s because Filipinos are by nature disobedient and will always find a loophole or crack to bypass any law or policy. Discipline can be learned but it takes repetition (enforced if needed) for any behavior to get ingrained into one’s coconut. Bato as the name implies gives Filipinos that much needed tough pounding to bring them in line. Law and order once established brings peace, and peace eventually brings prosperity.
Note: Ping as a choice would be similar to Bato, being himself a former police chief.
We’ll leave it to the readers to reflect on what Leni represents. It’s quite difficult to squeeze anything of value out of a Tweety Bird who thinks she’s now soaring as a Chilean Flamingo.
Zealous revolutionary advocate of bringing back common sense for the common good in a land of dysfunctional and delusional zombies.
Good read. Pointing out their positive attributes. The best part being the clown yellows being left out. It is amazing how in many countries younger generations are more “liberal,” but in The Philippines the liberal party has bastardized the word because of their corrupt, inefficient, and incompetent ways, that younger people stay away from the LP.
The day the Philippines version of a “Liberal Party” ends will be a great day.
Sara entering the race is great. Hopefully the best candidate will win.
Its game over for the pink widow and her cosplay crusaders.
better leave the politics to the grown ups.
no more pulling out of vote multiplying magical rabbits out of andy bautista’s @ss this time..
It would have been a good read had the writer not censored himself by cherrypicking the characters in his piece.
Leni Robredo, supposed to be one of the major candidates in the race, was intentionally left out in the analysis. It’s like talking about the list of Marvel superheroes without including the Black Widow. She was treated as if she was Thanos! ?
And what’s worst was the writer, in eliminating her, did not even highlight what her program or ideas were, so bad it contributed to her being disqualified. She was outed because she was using an official color for a party? Man!
Theme color is part and parcel of politics. I don’t know of any party who does not have an official color that represents their movement or ideology. If you will disqualify one on that basis, might as well disqualify all. Anyway, it’s not late because you can still have a word, like you did the rest, about her on the comments section. ?
Then why don’t you elaborate Leni’s programs and ideas if you feel Leni was intentionally left out? 😀
Cant , because the pink widow is all about taking out the NTF-ELCOCK..now its getting very clear where her money is coming from…
anong Oxford and Harvard education kay Isko? Eh one-week seminar on leadership yung pinunta nya sa Oxford and Harvard. Obviously, a non-degree one-week seminar. kalokah!
Isko Yabang…Oxford and Harvard Only seminar and not a degree. Stop fooling us.
Per Manila Bulletin article on “Mayor Isko cites educational achievements amid criticisms” (Oct 10):
Isko did not get a B.S. degree in Oxford; nevertheless, he is ranked No.86 in Oxford’s top 100 notable alumni:
https://edurank.org/uni/university-of-oxford/alumni/
Isko…For his higher education, Moreno studied public administration at the University of the City of Manila and enrolled in non-degree programs at the University of the Philippines, the Harvard Kennedy School, and Saïd Business School.
Isko went to harvard to learn the radical essentials of road clearing, sidewalk demolitions, and beautification drives..
My take:
BBM
BBM is running for president solely to put the family back in power. That’s all there is to it. If his father and Digong failed to promote and make official the Maharlika myth, I don’t see BBM doing better considering that it’s the least, if not nonsense, the country needs right now.
And BBM picking up where his father left off would be a hard sell. His father left the country in shambles and disarray. It is now in a better position to continue and pursue the future irrespective of who the leader is because things have drastically change since 1986.
Ferdinand would have been a decent leader had he not overstayed. Because of what happened, the son is now getting the flak which I admit is unfair to BBM. Had he stayed out of politics, I say, any attack against BBM because of his father is just plain wrong. Unfortunately, he chose to play the game. So, he’s fair game now.
He said, “I will bring that form of unifying leadership back to our country.” I say, say no more. The last person who can unify this country will not be a Marcos. Sorry to say that. ☹️
Isko
Isko is good. He should have finished what he started in Manila. Manila is not the Philippines, so, I’m having a hard time finding where his courage to run is coming from. Yes, I know, Digong is also a mayor, but the scenario and political variables is different back then. Also, just look at what happened to our country when ran by a former mayor who treated it as a mere city he used to owned and run.
I say, Isko should take a little more time to appreciate the magnitude, importance and seriousness of the job he’s going after. Admittedly, he has what it takes to become president. Articulate, knowledgeable, well-versed on administrative and legislative matters and most importantly, pogi like Erap. ? Which incidentally, is also a former mayor that…never mind.
Manny
Like I said about Manny, he was not well-served by his advisers. He was made to believe that his money will propel him to presidency. Bad advice. His statements that given the chance, there’ll be no more squatters in the country in five years or so if he becomes the president. Good campaign slogan and an innoncent appreciation of reality. Fine with me, but it is easier than done. Knocking down people as a job is different from solving the problems and ills of a country.
As president, unlike boxers, you don’t need to train for months, spar for months and lose weight to be able to climb the ring and conquer your opponents. And Manny has been that for years. He has to have a shedding moment in order to stop seeing everything within the confines of a boxing ring.
Bato
I detest people who gets the job simply because they share regional roots to one employing them. It’s really nepotism in another name. And I abhor it. One good example of that is Bato. I don’t know, everytime I see the man on TV or media, I don’t feel good. Maybe because I see him not a self-made man but a mere creation of somebody whose character he plainly reflects. I’ll stop here because I have nothing good to say about the Bato.
Ping
Ping Lacson, early in his political life, gave an impression that he’s just an Erap creation. But that was not meant to be. He is not only a self-made man but also a man of integrity. Early on, he showed that he’s no Erap clone when it comes to ethics and morality. And I don’t agree that there is similarity between him and Bato. Actually, they are opposite in substance. I’ll stop here before I faint from too much swooning. ?
Leni
Aside from being a female Chiquito look-alike, I find her normal and lady like in demeanor. Will she make a good president? That’s anybody’s guess. As far as I know, she has never been anything really that important in terms of performance in regional or national scope. She may have occupied public offices before but not one where we can properly gauge her in determining her capability as an executive officer. But compared to Manny and Bato, I think she’s a better bet.
Having said that, I find it strange that her stocks seems to improve every time there is death around her. Remember, she’s practically non-existent, at least outside Bicol, when her husband, Jesse (deceased) was head of DILG. Only when her husband died that she came on her own. During her run for vice-president, she was portrayed as the second coming of Cory Aquino (deceased) by her party. Leni was painted as the martyr-widow who sacrificed her private life to answer the call to serve the nation. Just like Cory did. And now that Noynoy (deceased) is gone, she appears to be taking over the Liberal Party which he once head. And using her tribute to him as a fodder of her campaign.
Strange as it may sound, but looks like death and Leni always come side by side. ?
went to harvard..to learn the radical essentials of road clearing, sidewalk demolitions, and beautification drives..
But everybody knows the bulk of his real education came under the watchful eyes and steady hands of Kuya Germs..
Bato for death to drug users, Bongbong for liquidation of wealth, Isko for gay pride, Manny for an inquistion, Lacson for great tryanny, and Leni for socialist communism.
An amazing amount of choice.
Lacson IS a great tranny..
Thats exactly how manny would pronounce it – quistion