“These are my facts.”
“These are my facts.”
Poll surveys have shown that among five presidential candidates – Senator Ping Lacson, Senator Manny Pacquiao, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Vice President Leni Robredo, and former Senator Bongbong Marcos — Marcos may well be the runaway frontrunner.
Some people may find this surprising, given that the Marcos name reminds people of the negative aspects of Martial Law: Violation of human rights, suppression of freedoms and civil rights, and hidden and unexplained wealth.
But people also remember that during the first three years of Martial Law, there was peace and progress. People started lining up and queuing for almost anything, front yards and backyards of houses were being cleaned, streets were being swept, traffic was light, and there was peace and order. In other words, the greater mass of people remind themselves of the New Society of Marcos when infrastructures were built, like the North and South Expressway, the Marcos Highway that connected Luzon with Samar and Leyte, the cementing of the national road to Ilocos, and buildings like the Cultural Center, the Heart Center, Lung Center, the Kidney Center, the Children’s Hospital and The Philippine International Convention Center.
In other words, the so-called Build, Build, Build program of President Duterte would pale in comparison with the Marcos infrastructure.
But, what about the negative aspects?
Then again, should the sins of the father be blamed on his son?
I am a lawyer, and I know that most of the laws that are enforced today were legislated by Marcos, which showed his vision for a New Society.
Marcos-haters try to associate Bongbong Marcos with Martial Law. But, let’s look at the facts. Isn’t it a fact that Bongbong really won the vice presidency in 2016, but was cheated by Smartmatic and the “Yellows” and the Liberal Party? I know that the Supreme Court ruled against him, but I believe he was cheated anyway.
The same people who believe that Bongbong was cheated in 2016 now want him back. Geographically and demographically, there are Ilocanos not only in Northern Luzon, but half of Pangasinan, one fourth of Nueva Ecija, another fourth of Tarlac, north of Zambales and parts of Morolandia, and Metro Manila, even in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat there are Ilocanos, in Basilan and other parts of Mindanao people cannot forget the name Marcos. All these are constituents of Bongbong.
That is the reason why I wrote in my previous columns that if Bongbong and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio were to team up, it would be a formidable and winning tandem.
Personally, I think that could still happen.
Santa Banana, having said all these, what can the other presidential candidates offer? Sure Ping Lacson is popular, but does he have the constituency of Bongbong? Pacquiao with all his billions may have come from the masses, and may be the country’s boxing icon, but the 64 million voters that have registered for 2022 are not that stupid to realize Pacquiao can hardly speak English because he finished only the fourth grade.
There is also Isko Moreno, but despite his popularity in Metro Manila and the National Capital Region cannot claim to have bailiwicks elsewhere. Personally, while I believe that Isko has potential, it’s still too early for him to run for the presidency. He made a big mistake in having Dr. Willie Ong as his vice presidential teammate — Ong also comes from the same area in Tondo.
As for Leni, who has turned pink, no longer “Yellow,” her association with the Left and critics of Duterte will not end She chose her Vice President Senator Kiko Pangilinan simply because the “Yellows” and the Liberal Party cheated for her when they were still in power and had the means to use Smartmatic and their Local Government Units.
Now, without the Liberal Party, Robredo may not even surpass the others. She is pathetic, if I may say so. My gulay, poll surveys have ranked her way below the other candidates.
These are facts why I am convinced that at the end, it will be Bongbong as No. 1. Need I say more?
How can one argue with facts?
Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, meanwhile, is just a nuisance candidate, waiting to be substituted by Sara if she changes her mind and runs.
**
In another survey, this time by the Manila Bulletin (MB), it said that Bongbong Marcos may end up winning the presidential race based on the results of an online survey.
Marcos ended up as the top candidate based on its online presidential survey conducted from October 13 to 17. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Vice President Leni Robredo followed Marcos. The MB poll generated over 800,000 reactions from netizens using the assigned emoji.
As I have been saying, Bongbong Marcos almost has a universal acceptance as the preferred presidential candidate when no less that the Manila Bulletin, usually an apolitical newspaper, comes out with a survey like it did.
As I have been writing earlier, when a presidential candidate becomes the target of attacks, we can be sure that candidate is somebody being preferred. This is how it is for Bongbong.
**
With daily cases of COVID-19 declining, there are now efforts by the government to adopt the alert level system in other parts of the country, following its implementation in the National Capital Region.
I am no health expert, but it would do well for the government not to be too hasty in adopting the Alert Level System because there are still areas nationwide where COVID-19 cases are surging.
Sure, we can at least imagine a merry Christmas. But remember we have experienced this before — cases went down, rules were relaxed, cases surged anew.
I am a realist. Let’s remain cautious.
