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| Photo credit to VP Leni Robredo's supporter Cathy Frayco |
As the campaign nears its end I see a renewed hope for the Filipinos, a sense of inspiration and well-meaning "bayanihan". While the labeled 'yellow-pink' team of Vice President Leonor "Leni" Gerona Robredo and Sen. Francis Pancratius "Kiko" Pangilinan is trailing in the surveys, the people's support and organizations says otherwise.
Trully, the game is over until it is over. Yes, the surveys coming out days before the election day on May 9, 2022, may be indicating that it is for (former Sen. Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr and Mayor Sarah Zimmerman Duterte-Carpio) "BBM-Sarah team but the public votes must first be casted and counted in before anyone can say that it is their A-game.
It has been proven and seen many times that for a good leader six years is short but for a bad governance, the six year term is tantamount to hell. This, I think, is the reason why many people are making a clear stand, going out of their way and doing the people's campaign–to save what is left of our children and their future generations.
In the social media platform Facebook alone; the "Leni-Kiko '' page set-up and organized by followers has at least 71 joint public groups not to include the "Robredo People's Council and Pangilinan's own set of public supporters that were put-up in various areas of the country that made way for the series of successful people's rallies, consultation-meetings, palengke visits, and people's caravans amongst others particularly in the stronghold of their top opponents.
I believe this is the very reason why despite VP Leni's lack of financial and logistical machinery the 90-day campaign of the Robredo-Pangilinan campaign ran smoothly. Of course, thank you to the able management of Leni-Kiko supporters and leadership of the Robredo-Pangilinan campaign team. This can also be translated to the change the people are obviously clamoring following six years of President Duterte's strong fist governance where killing, hunger, injustice and job loss are very much prevalent. While I could not say all are bad with the current administration, as the President contained the petty crimes incidents such as snatching, robbery, car theft, and has launched a massive drive against the communist terrorist groups, strengthen the 911 and the build-build-build program which is the centerpiece of the Duterte government.
However, there are also other issues affecting the nation and the people that were not given sufficient importance such as the territorial dispute over the Scarborough Shoal that limited the fishing activities of Filipino fishermen, lack of job opportunities especially during the pandemic, oil price hike that has a domino effect on the costs of electricity, transportation and other basic commodities, irregularities at the health care and healthcare system, support to local farmers and agriculture, transportation issues, corruption in government contracts and the clear incidence of poverty in the country, and the clear attempt to silence, if not shut down the critics of the administration.
All these seemed to be a rehashed of the past that paved the way to the success of Edsa 1 in 1986, and Edsa 2 in 2001 that ousted the Presidents Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Ejercito Estrada respectively, who were both charged with plunder among many other cases. Thus, as the campaign is coming to its final stretch, more and more voices are echoing calls, urging fellow Filipinos to come out and make a clear stand to prevent history revisionism and not to allow another Marcos from being in power again. Amongst these who willingly responded include the Ledesma and Araneta relatives of the wife of Presidential contender "Bongbong" Marcos Jr, niece of President Duterte, Nuelle Duterte who have expressed support to the tandem of Leni-Kiko, as well as the son of senatorial candidate Loren Legarda, in the person of Lorenzo Legarda Leviste who labeled his mom's decision to ticket with BBM-Sarah as "convenient opportunism."
The campaign of Marcos-Duterte focuses on "unity" as they promise that their victory would bring unity and growth to the country contrary to allegations of those opposed to them that it would means another half a decade of tyranny, political dynasties, extra-judicial killings, impunity and corruption. The surveys may be against the Leni-Kiko Team but the overwhelming show of support from the fashion industry, showbiz and entertainment, beauty queens, bikers, transport sector, labor organizations, doctors and lawyers, volleyball players, PBA coaches, indigenous communities, lay, priests and clergy, schools and universities, students, professionals, senior citizens, tricycle drivers, LGBTQIA group, anti-mining, directors and artists, religious leaders and community among many others are stating the contrary. Therefore, it is still anybody's game.
And as May 9 draws nearer, it is also exciting to see how well the Filipino people and various organizations will work to ensure the fair and safety of the elections particularly in securing the ballots.
God bless the Philippines and the Filipino people.