The Unheard

When I came home after school, I tuned in to TV Patrol World. The news was about the latest survey about the Presidential Race by the Social Weather Station (SWS) in which three names emerged as the favorites. First is Senator Benigno 'Noynoy' Aquino III who got a whopping 60%. Next is the former leader of the latest surveys, Senator Manny Villar. Last is the ousted president, Joseph Ejercito Estrada.

Upon seeing the results, there was a name missing; and that is the administration's bet, Gilberto Teodoro. Among these four names, I can really say that 'Gibo', as what they usually call him, has the best credentials and arguably one of the most decorated presidential candidates. He was a Law graduate at the University of the Philippines and was awarded with the Dean's Medal for Academic Excellence. He topped the Philippine Bar Exams and later on went to Harvard Law School in Massachusetts for his masters. He then got admitted to the State Bar of New York. Gilberto was also Tarlac representative for 9 years and is currently secretary for the Department of Civil Defense.

Frankly speaking, he lacks in popularity and his name will always be tainted by anyone, and everyone, because he is running for the administration headed by the widely unpopular GMA. He is going against the influential ads of "Ang galing sa hirap, tumutulong sa mahirap" and of course, the magic of the Aquino name who seemingly has unlimited access to ABS-CBN.

But hey, wake up call everyone! The elections should not be another popularity contest. If so, then expect another tumulutuos six years for this country.

BY: Rondell Chaz Mabunga
PHOTO CREDIT: http://dearbloggery.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Gilbert-Teodoro.jpg

Finding common ground : politics vis-à-vis theater

My classmates and I have been busy rehearsing and performing our theater play for the past weeks (which, I suppose, is the reason for this late blog entry). I’ve been missing the action in the political arena all those days I had my attention transfixed on our play. I missed the 2010 presidential race, the latest bombshell of the administration and opposition, the political skepticism and the maneuvers of that 4’11 lady standing tall at the Malacañang.

Surprisingly, I found common ground between politics and our play; and it sure did compensate for what I missed. Big time.


Our play, entitled Anatomiya sa Korapsyon, is a three-act satyr that exposed the wrong doings and ills of a public office. The story revolved around an honest woman’s ordeal in standing up for her ideology amidst blatant corruption in her newfound working environment. She found herself surrounded by the key players of corruption where she contends to curb the system. Towards the end, she realized she cannot do it all alone and corruption is indeed a force to reckon with.


Corruption is what we depicted in our play. Corruption is what happens in real life, in politics.


Although the play ended tragically and was somehow pessimistic, the most important thing it did was to expose and make known the evil things that happen inside a government office. I just hope that with our play, we were able to get our message across: that corruption is here to say not unless we break free from its pangs and circumvent it as one, solid community.

BY: RYAN LOUIE G. MADRID

Thanks to surveys, now we're really confused

Recently, 153 members of the House of Representatives (HoR)- which is more than half of the entire group - participated in a mock presidential elections conducted by Commission on Election (Comelec) staff.

Here are the results:

Sec.Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) - 90 /153 votes
Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. (Nacionalista Party) - 25/153 votes
Sen.Francis Escudero (Nationalist People's Coalition) - 20/ 153 votes
Sen. Benigno Aquino III (Liberal Party) - 7 / 153 votes
Sen. Richard Gordon - 4 / 153 votes
Former President Joseph Estrada - 2/153 votes
Vice President Noli De Castro - 1 / 153 votes
Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane - 1 / 153 votes
MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando - 1 / 153 votes
Evangelist Eddie Villanueva - 1 / 153 votes

On another survey conducted by the Social Weathers Station (SWS) to 1, 600 respondents, however, the results are way different.

#1 Senator Benigno Aquino III (Liberal Party)
#2 Senator Manuel Villar Jr. (Nacionalista Party)
#3 Former President Joseph Estrada
#8 Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (Lakas-Kampi-CMD)

It appears that the people and those who are supposed to represent these people are polarizing. They do not have the same impulses and preference for their leaders. The people, as far as the SWS survey is concerned, prefers the suddenly popular Aquino. However, the Comelec-run HoR survey reveals that the less popular Teodoro is topping the list.

People are getting more and more confused as the election day is drawing near. And one major contributor for this confusion are the surveys.

Whether or not the people and the HoR choose Teodoro or Aquino, the surveys were nothing but, well, surveys - an attempt to imitate reality; not absolutely true.

Surveys, to me, are unhelpful methods that different parties and organizations employ - they all add up to the confusion that is already present during elections. I think that's one of the reasons why most people refuse to be politically engaged: because politics - especially during elections - is making a lot of mess.


BY: RYAN LOUIE MADRID
Photo credit: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2486/3905110833_24718a2160.jpg

DECENCY FOR THE CITIZENRY

Yesterday I read an article which showed the sense of decency and civility practices of our Secretary of National Defense in the person of Sec. Gilberto Teodoro. Even though he is being prodded to relinquish his post for he is the likely presidential candidate of the administration in 2010 election, he still works his mandated duty which shows his discernment to first prioritize the people amid the harshest criticism of his critics and detractors. With his gesture of availing the smearing attacks of his political opponents to give way for the availability of help and refuge to those who are victimized as head of the National Disaster Coordinating Council is an astute and ought responsibility of any elected servant politician. They should be preoccupied with the thoughts on how to better serve their constituents rather than continuing their political bickering and grandstanding.

The onslaught of typhoon Ondoy in Metro Manila were ideal scenarios of those typical or traditional politician and those deviant of the tradition who seized the opportunity to show their plans either on how to advance their political interest or uphold the people’s interest and basic needs respectively. What seems to be the problem that is confronting on our serving politicians s that they are scrutinized and criticized by their fellow politicians instead of doing their individual functions.

In fairness to Sec. Teodoro, he has what it takes to lead the country in the right path towards economic prosperity and peace and order stability. So I think the issue of early politicking must be first put aside. The real issue that deems to be a debacle and thorns to our people are given little attention or not given any at all. A secretary can only do so much.

So in this coming 2010 elections, we must be vigilant and inquisitive to our vote. We must not entrust our vote to somebody who would only use us for their personal glory and ambition.

BY LOUIE JAY BAN V. JARALES
PHOTO CREDIT:Google.com