WITH only three weeks until the Nov. 30 deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy, the race is on between the Liberal Party (LP) and the Nacionalista Party (NP) in recruiting more leaders from the pro-administration Lakas-Kampi coalition supporting Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and President Arroyo.

Teodoro may be a good material for the presidency. However, he has not figured prominently in surveys at a time when local leaders begin scouting the national political terrain. He is also saddled with his identification with the administration party that has lost the support of the majority.

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Thus, many pro-administration political leaders are beginning to think twice. And the only choices of parties are the LP and the NP. A pragmatic political leader will now start weighing the advantages of jumping to either the LP or NP now and be a major local player or wait a little longer for some other considerations.

As expected, President Arroyo will increasingly be considered a lame duck as the campaign period approaches. Many local government officials will support her only as long as she holds the authority to release the IRA and project funds. The situation will change after local officials get what they’ve waited for.

With the administration collapsing into a minor political player, we are now seeing the return of the pre-martial law LP-NP rivalry.

With standard-bearers Sen. Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas leading in the surveys, the LP enjoys the advantage. Many political leaders like the Osmeñas have jumped into the bandwagon.

NP president and standard-bearer Sen. Manny Villar, however, remains unfazed. Many political leaders like the opposition in Cebu City will most likely support Villar. He also is consistently at second place in the surveys.

During lunch hosted by Level 8 owner Ding Borja with Cebu media, Villar said his strategy involved meeting as many people as possible to be able to know him personally and recognize his qualities as a presidential contender. He believes there is enough time to do this until May 2010.

While Noynoy benefits from the legacy of his parents that he has vowed to continue, Villar differentiates himself as one with the managerial and leadership skills to hit the ground running during the first 100 days of his presidency. The Philippines is in such a state that we don’t need an OJT (on the job training) as president right after June 2010, he said.

Without parents who are considered heroes and a celebrity sister, Villar said: “What you see is what you get.”

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Has the opposition in Cebu City finally gotten its act together with the launch of Atan Guardo and Mary Ann de los Santos’ “Our Cebu City”?

Speculations that this is a ploy for them to run for mayor and vice mayor highlighted the reality that the opposition slate is hardly complete. Compare this with MY-CT of Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan that stands for Mike Rama, Joy Young, Cutie de Mar and Tomas Osmeña.

If Atan and Mary Ann target City Hall instead, who will run in their stead in the first and second districts? In fact, Mayor Osmeña believes this is only a publicity stunt.

On the other hand, Atan and Mary Ann had launched something novel. While MY-CT focuses on personalities, “Our Cebu City” refers to a cause that could fire up Cebuanos.

For example, the tandem talks of “opportunities” that can be opened by supporting both Capitol’s Ciudad and Osmeña’s SRP, as well as both the LRT-MRT and the BRT projects. After Osmeña quarreled with the Garcias and Congressman Gullas, both Atan and Mary Ann now want to pursue projects that will mean good relations with other political players and thus “unity.” Pursuing these projects will mean “reform” of the one-man-rule at City Hall.

I think “Our Cebu City” is a doable cause that Cebuanos can believe in. Atan and Mary Ann have succeeded in presenting themselves as a viable alternative to the Osmeñas in Cebu City.

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