Just Give Me the P1.5 Million, Child!

It will be Mother's Day on Sunday, May 13, 2007, and just this morning, I read in the newspapers about the Peninsula Manila's "Mom's Ultimate Fantasy" package which costs a whopping P1.5 million. Yes, you read the figure right -- P1.5 million.

What will theP1.5 million get your mother? It will buy her champagne, flowers, chocolates, a 2-night stay at the USD 2,000++ Peninsula Suite, an 8-course dinner at Old Manila, breakfast for two, salon treats, and shopping sprees at jewelry and designer boutiques.

The Peninsula Suite is a 372 square meter room which has its own living room area, dining room, jacuzzi, and other facilities. As for the shopping sprees, your mother will get a P500 thousand gift voucher for Jul B. Dizon jewelry and a P200 thousand voucher at the Louis Vuitton boutique at Greenbelt 4.

Pardon my being a party pooper but I think the above package is much too extravagant even if your child happens to be lying down on tons of money. You can do a lot with P1.5 million, right -- like go on several trips, build a small house, or even donate the amount to several charities. I don't know about you but even if I were earning a lot, I don't think I could splurge that much. Besides, I do not think you need to spend that huge an amount just to prove to your mother that you love her.

So as I read the newspaper, I called my 10-year old son and read the news article to him. Then, I looked at him and said: "Adi, if you ever become really rich, please do not gift me with this Mother's Day package okay? Just give me the P1.5 million in cash."

I told my mother about the package and she said the same thing. What can I say? My mother raised me well. =)

Media and Voter Education

As I talk to Filipino voters these days, I somehow get the impression that voters don't care much about the upcoming elections. They don't think much about the candidates running for office or the political parties they can choose from. After voting in several elections, they are probably resigned to the fact that whoever among the candidates win, will not change the way their lives are.

Do you think media has done enough to help the lesser-known candidates and parties? I don't think so. I read the papers daily (well, at least on weekdays) and I can see that the same old candidates get featured and get the needed media mileage. So if you are well-known or popular, you get more popular as media will probably find stories about you more newsworthy or worth sharing.

I was watching TV some days ago and the newscast had a feature on how the internet is being used by candidates as a campaign tool. There was mention of how certain candidates have their own websites or are on Friendster, for example. Chiz Escudero, Francis Pangilinan -- were some of the more popular candidates mentioned. It made me wonder why the station, for example, chose to talk about these candidates when they were already well known to begin with. Being on the internet, shouldn't add much to their campaign anymore. It was good that they also mentioned Trillanes (who is unable to really campaign) but why was there no mention of the blogs of the Kapatiran candidates, for example?

I hope that in the coming days, media will be able to grant more space and air time to lesser known candidates who may not have as much money to spend as the more established politicians. Can't do anything about it. The way our system is, more popular names with funds to spend will really have an advantage.

I wonder when this scenario will change?

Should You Fill Up Your Ballot with 12 Names?

In the coming May 2007 Philippine elections, voters will need to choose 12 senatorial bets. I read a news item some days back that Mr. Bill Luz (of the Makati Business Club and NAMFREL) was urging voters to fill up all 12 spaces on their ballots. His statement, if he was quoted correctly was that "By abstaining, you're making it easier for other people to enter the Magic 12."

Why do people (like me) leave some spaces in their ballot blank or why do they just put a line across the blank spaces so that no one can write another name on it? There are not enough quality candidates, that's why. My vote is important and so I will not give it to someone just because I fear that a "lousy bet" will make it. It's not my fault that they won. It's the fault of the people who voted for them. That's why I don't think I will be forcing myself to fill up all the 12 spaces with the names of people I don't actually like. Why compromise?

So in the coming elections, vote for whom you like. I hope you like Dr. Martin Bautista, Sonia Roco, and Adrian Sison as I will be voting for them. Am still thinking if I will vote for Zosimo Paredes. If I do decide to vote for him, then I'll have four names on my ballot. As for the rest, am not particularly fond of politicians who have been around for so long and have shifted allegiances from here to there; who just seem to oppose anything and everything; who rely on "name recall;" and who have "super popular wives" to boost their political standing.

I am for people who are not typical politicians. For those who have not yet held any elective post but are not actors or actresses or sportspeople. I am for Kapatiran because they say they will work for the abolition of the pork barrel! Imagine that?

You still have more than a month to make up your mind. Please vote but please vote wisely.

Dr. Martin D. Bautista for Senator

So, have you decided on who will be in your list of 12 senators? I think I now have a list of 3 names.

I caught a show on ANC last night on Alternative Candidates. It featured Danton Remoto (didn't know he was running for Senator), Dr. Martin D. Bautista, and Zosimo Paredes. Dr. Bautista and Mr. Paredes are both with Kapatiran, a group committed to "put God in politics" by focusing on virtue, duty, transparency, public accountability, and good citizenship.

My favorite writer, Conrado de Quiros, has already come out strongly with two columns endorsing Dr. Martin D. Bautista. I am inclined to vote for him -- not because he is a Bautista (we are not related) and not because he is a U.P. graduate (well, that helps) but because he is a new name, a new face, with a good story.

Dr. Martin D. Bautista is a UP College of Medicine 1989 graduate and is a US-trained gastroenterologist. After years of living and working in the US, he came back to the Philippines with his wife, a US trained pulmonologist, and their four daughters.

At a time when most Filipinos would give anything to get out of the country, it is refreshing to see a doctor coming back and even trying to run for the Senate. Sure, you say, he's had his chance and is probably so comfortable financially that he can now afford to come back and live here in the Philippines again -- that is beside the point. I have had it with old names and the usual faces. It is time for non-politicians (and non showbiz and sports people too) to have a say in how this country is run.

Who are my candidates as of now? Dr. Martin Bautista, Danton Remoto (well his thrust is public education and his presence should make the Senate more interesting), and of course, Sonia Roco. Her thrust is also education and it is no secret that I voted for Raul Roco in the last election. She hasn't held any public position in the past and so that makes her a new face too.

So, will you let me know the candidates that you will be voting or not be voting for?

Pacquiao for Congressman?

Looks like it's true that Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, the Pambansang Kamao, has finally decided to throw his gloves into the political ring. News reports have it that Manny Pacquiao will be running for Congress in the first district of South Cotabato against Darlene Antonino Custodio.

Will he win? I hope not. He may have our support in all his boxing matches but in this fight, I think the Philippine nation will be divided. All offense meant -- What does Manny Pacquiao know about legislation? I know it's a stupid question just looking at some people we have in Congress (and even in the Senate) but don't we want to move away from politics which is just anchored on popularity and name recall?

I don't know about Manny but I guess he can't see through the motives of people who have been egging him to run. I am sure they will just use him for their own political or economic ambitions. Am sure Darlene Custodio is likewise a target of the administration as she has been very vocal about her support for the impeachment of GMA.

Oh well, Manny Pacquiao is free to make his own choices just as the Filipino voter is also free to make his or her own choice. To Manny, you don't need to be a politician to help people out. I think you make more people happy by sticking to the thing that you do best which is boxing. Then again, that's just my opinion.

Same Old, Same Old

Plastered all over the newspapers today are the names and faces of candidates who intend to run for the Senate in the coming May 2007 elections. Why do I get the feeling that I am voting in an election that has already been concluded? That's probably the case since save for one or two new faces, these are the same old people who have been around and who have led us to today's political scene in the Philippines. Not very encouraging I tell you.

Why am I also not surprised that Francis Pangilinan has decided to run as an independent candidate? Well, with Sharon Cuneta for a wife and with kids Frankie and Miel all over our television sets, who needs the backing of a party? Such is the way of Philippine politics.

There's really not much to look forward to with the coming elections. When will we get to see new names? Names that will inspire and re-kindle hope? I guess those new names are busy doing their own bit of good in their respective fields and are probably allergic to the world of Philippine politics.

There's No Business Like Philippine Politics

Here in the Philippines, the word politics is probably spelled this way: S-H-O-W-B-I-Z. And why not? Those who win the elections in this country are not necessarily the most qualified but more often than not, those with name recall, have access to media, and are remotely related to the entertainment scene.

The political ads have already started bombarding us on television: We have "Ang Gara ng buhay;" Zubiri talking about the Biofuels Law (really now); and we have "Tol" Michael Defensor, among others. I don't have a very high regard for television and the programs the stations push but I didn't imagine it could get more terrible. Groan.

Am already starting to have a headache thinking of whom to vote for in May 2007. Seems like I don't really have much of a choice. I feel more like a casting director rather than a voter. What do you expect from a crop of candidates which includes one who would hire Boy Abunda to advise him on his campaign?

Oh well. We'll see how many "credible" people get elected this May. Where are the men of action? Those who do not think that everything in politics is just for show?