Like the speed of surge in new COVID-19 cases due to the spread of the Omicron variant in the Philippines, the noise of the upcoming 2022 national elections goes full steam ahead after the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) revealed the final list of candidates.
Ten presidentiables, 9 vice presidentiables, 64 senatoriables. All of them are wooing the 65.7 million Filipino electorate to grant them power to lead. Of this number, more than 1.6 million are overseas Filipinos, who will ink their ballots from April 10 until May 9.
Those in the running for the country’s highest position include incumbent Vice President Leni Robredo; former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.; Manila Mayor Isko Moreno; incumbent senators Panfilo “Ping” Lacson; incumbent senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao; Leody de Guzman; Ernesto Abella; Norberto Gonzales; Faisal Mangondato; and Jose Montemayor Jr.
For the vice presidency, candidates include Senator Kiko Pangilinan; Senate President Tito Sotto; Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte; Buhay Representative Lito Atienza; Dr. Willie Ong; former congressman Walden Bello; as well as Rizalito David; Manny Lopez; and Carlos Serapio.
Of the total voting public, about 52 percent of registered voters, or 32.2 million, are between the ages of 31 and 59; 33 percent, or 20.4 million, are between the ages of 18 and 30, and 14 percent, or 9.1 million, are 60 and up. Calabarzon has the most registered voters for next year’s elections, with 9,193,096, followed by Metro Manila with 7,322,361 and Central Luzon with 7,289,791.
Duterte to drop name of “most corrupt”
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte used his weekly ‘Talk to the Public’ to give a “forewarning” against certain candidates.
Duterte stated that he will reveal and pinpoint the weaknesses of each presidential candidate in due time, including someone who he deems as the “most corrupt” presidential aspirant that the voting public should be wary of.
“I will personally name the candidates and maybe what’s wrong with them na kailangan malaman ng tao because you are electing a president, sino ‘yong pinaka-corrupt na kandidato. Hindi ako namumulitika. I am talking to you as your president. There are things you must know,” said the President.
Speaking about the “corrupt” presidential aspirant that he wants to name, he said: “Akala ng mga tao, malinis… ‘yung mga nag transact ng business sa kanya, pati mga Chinese, masyadong corrupt raw.”
Duterte also cited another presidential aspirant who he asserts lacks knowledge and experience to lead the country.
He said: “Meron dito hopelessly, I think, hindi dapat mag-presidente kasi medyo kulang talaga, kulang na kulang. Everyday may sasabihin siya na mali o maski the fundamentals of what a person na gustong mag-Presidente dapat.”
Platforms for OFWs
Meanwhile, Robredo, Pacquiao, Lacson, Moreno took the opportunity to convey their platforms and stand on multiple issues to the public during Jessica Soho’s Presidential Interviews. Marcos snubbed the said interview, alleging that the award-winning broadcaster was ‘biased’ because she was ‘anti-Marcos’.
Among topics discussed was each candidate’s stand on the welfare of overseas Filipino workers and how they have vowed to help over 10 million workers globally to protect them from abuses. Each candidate laid out how they would ensure each and everyone gets all of the assistance they require – from getting a placement through legal pathways to their eventual reintegration back in the Philippines when the OFW heads home.
Robredo, said working abroad should be a matter of choice only and not a necessity.
“Ang pinakauna, ayusin natin ‘yong ating ekonomiya para ‘yung pag lalabas para magtrabaho sa ibang bansa, hindi dahil sa necessity pero by choice,” she said emphasising that the country should enter into bilateral contracts with other nations to ensure the protection of OFWs.
“Mahirap na nandoon sila na wala tayong bilateral contracts kasi hindi natin sila napapangalagaan in the manner na kailangan natin silang pangalagaan,” she added.
Lacson hoped that the newly-created Department of Migrant Workers will not be plagued with corruption.
“Kapag ito ay nagkaroon na naman, nahaluan na naman ng kalokohan, wala ng mangyayari. Sayang ‘yung batas na ipinasa ng Kongreso patungkol dito,” he said.
He stressed that the goal is to make working abroad a choice for Filipinos and not a necessity by creating more jobs in the country.
“Unang-una, dapat mawala ‘yung isipang kailangang mangibang bansa para kumita ng pera, dapat nandito ‘yung ating kabuhayan, dapat andito sila hangga’t maaari. Now, hanggang nandiyan ang situation na talagang helpless naman, kailangan mag-OFW, mayroon na tayong naipasa ‘di ba yung department para sa mga OFWs,” he said.
Pacquiao called on the implementation of the law, which he authored, to provide migrant workers with a handbook that contains information to help them address their concerns. It was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in March 2019.
“Alam niyo po ito ang pinakaunang batas na naipasa natin, ‘yung handbook for OFW, dahil importante po sila na protektahan natin at pangalagaan natin dahil malaki po ang naiambag nila sa ating bayan,” Pacquiao said.
“At higit sa lahat, ‘yung handbook po na ‘yan, kailangan lang ma-implement dahil magkakaroon po sila ng tinatawag natin na puwedeng kontakin pag magkaroon sila ng problema. Hindi lamang isa o dalawa. Kung hindi marami,” he added.
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno vowed to coordinate with other countries to prevent abuses against OFWs.
“Unang-una makikipag ugnayan ako sa mga bansa na ‘yun, ‘yung host na bansa. Bakit wala silang ginagawa doon sa mga citizen nila na nang-aabuso sa Pilipino?” Moreno said.
“Because the sauce for the gander is sauce for the goose. Kung sila inaalagaan natin dito bilang mga banyaga, alagaan din nila ‘yong mga kapwa natin Pilipino na nagtatrabaho at nagsisilbi sa kanila,” he added.
Social media frenzy
The inaugural presidential interviews caused quite a stir among netizens, especially when Marcos’ camp accused Soho of being ‘biased’ against their family.
GMA Network responded that all of the four presidential candidates did face some of the toughest questions they faced to date as the seat of the highest power in the land will face even bigger challenges once they are elected in office.
“Ms. Soho boldly asks the presidential aspirants the questions that need to be asked – their intentions behind running for the position, the controversies thrown at them, their stand on pressing issues and their concrete plans should they be elected. The questions are tough because the job of the presidency is tough,” read the statement from GMA.
Many netizens also believe that Marcos missed his chance to explain to the public his side regarding the decades-long question about his father’s regime.
“Bias man o hindi, at least chance na sana ng anak ni Marcos ang magsabi kung anuman ang katotohanan. Kahit ano pang ipukol na tsismis o intriga… baka guilty lang kaya inaassume nya na bias,” said the netizen.
