Fix The Ills In Governance

Fix The Ills In Governance

COMMONSENSE - Marichu A. Villanueva - The Philippine Star

December 20, 2021 | 12:00am

Filipinos are now more aware of the kind of leaders who can better serve the interests of our country and not for the personal glories of wannabes running in next year’s national and local elections. From among candidates eyeing the Presidency, one candidate has already backed out knowing the Filipino people exact so much demands that he may not be able to meet.

President Rodrigo Duterte also already decided to withdraw last week his candidacy from next year’s 12-man Senate race. The 76-year-old Chief Executive goes back on track with his previously announced desire to retire from politics at the end of his term on June 30 next year.

We can only express our gratitude to Senator Christopher “Bong” Go for accepting he is not at par to the challenge of the Presidency and withdrew his bid.

Concurrently serving as Special Assistant to the President, Sen. Go has gained so much experience up close and personal working with President Duterte for more than five years running errands for him at Malacañang.

While he already made a stand to stay neutral in next year’s elections, President Duterte’s endorsement remains a big plus factor for any candidate.

Presidential adviser on political affairs Jacinto “Jing” Paras noted existing records of both the Social Weather Station (SWS) and Pulse Asia opinion surveys that showed President Duterte is the only outgoing Chief Executive who remains most popular with double-digit approval/satisfaction rate. During my Kapihan sa Manila Bay virtual news forum last Wednesday, Paras estimated it would at least mean a plus 10 to 15% additional mileage to any candidate who gets anointed by a very popular endorser like President Duterte.

The opinion polls done from Dec. 6 to 12 this year tried to measure the value of endorsement of political and religious leaders. The Issues and Advocacy Center – called for short The Center – headed by veteran political pollster Ed Malay – conducted what it dubs as “Pulso ng Bayan” and asked respondents if they will follow or abide by the choice of candidate endorsed, or will they vote for their own preference or choices. Included in the list were, namely: President Duterte as well as the past three (living) presidents of the country, namely, Fidel V. Ramos, Joseph Estrada, and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The bishops, parish priest, deacon, and pastor were identified as one generic group, or no names.

Based from The Center survey, 43% of the respondents will follow the endorsement by President Duterte but the rest (57%) will vote for their own choice. The religious leaders’ endorsement will be followed by 39% of the respondents but 61% of them would not heed their choice. On endorsement by Mrs. Arroyo, 34% will vote for her choice but 66% wont. Ramos’ endorsement will be heeded by 22% of the respondents but 78% will not. Estrada’s endorsement will convince 17% but 83% will not.

In his own analysis, Malay argued those known for their longtime experience and track record in public service among candidates have strengthened their position even without any endorsement. This is because, Malay explained, the present crops of Filipino voters are having this change of hearts and minds. They are voters who no longer can be swayed by song-and-dance politics that their parents may have fallen for in the past.

First of all, having a clear platform of governance will resonate with Filipinos. Malay noted with satisfaction only some candidates in the race for the 2022 national elections have such platform. Thus, he cited, they seemed “to be gaining adherents among the citizenry, looking for some sense in the present situation the country is in right now.” They also are responding to election hopefuls who decide to stick to the issues at hand and don’t engage in dirty or “gutter” politics, the pollster added.

Second, Malay suggested what some politicians running for the highest office of the land should do: Be armed with a message even before they step into the arena of public opinion. “Regardless of whether the electoral process can be manipulated or not, candidates must let the voters into their mind tunnels, so the voters can see what they represent,” he pointed out.

This is for the simple reason that the message defines what the candidate stands for.

Third, and perhaps most crucially important, Malay stressed, is that Filipinos value leaders who have a proven track record and have demonstrated their ability to build a consensus and work as a team with others for the common good. This is not the job for a “lone ranger” who will pursue his or her own agenda and yet remains fearful of being outshone by the VP who is supposedly a runningmate and partner during the election campaign.

Only the tandem of Partido Reporma chairman and standard-bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Senate president Vicente “Tito” Sotto III of Nationalist People’s Coalition checks all these tick boxes as far as this set of criteria of Malay’s The Center is concerned. While the Lacson-Sotto is the top partnership in his polling firm’s most recent survey to run the government after the Duterte presidency, will they have a real shot to win the real survey on election day on May 9 next year?

While his endorsement would make a big difference for any candidate, President Duterte’s selection process is constrained by party politics in the fractured PDP-Laban. His partymates cannot, however, begrudge President Duterte if he endorses his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio as the vice presidential (VP) candidate of the Lakas-CMD. While the presidential daughter enjoys high survey rating, Paras admitted, she is in for a tough fight in the VP race against Sotto in particular. He conceded Sotto is “no push-over” not just in Mindanao but also from Aparri to Sulu.

If recent opinion surveys are to be believed, Filipinos are waking up to the need of not just electing candidates with integrity and a platform of government. They want leaders who can fix the ills in governance here in our country so that Filipinos can truly be very hopeful for the future.

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