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Thursday, May 13, 2004
Baguio poll results cast doubt on INC bloc vote
BAGUIO CITY -- Baguio City's new political landscape cast doubts on the solidness of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) vote as officials they endorsed during the campaign period lost in the recent political exercise.
This is as President Arroyo expressed gratitude to the INC for their support to her in last Monday's elections.
Three days before Monday's elections, the INC distributed to its flock sample ballots containing the names of the national and local candidates the church was endorsing, which included the triumvirate of Rep. Mauricio Domogan, Mayor Bernardo Vergara and Betty Tabanda and six other councilor bets under the Timpuyog ti Baguio coalition.
Political observers at that time, and even the candidates who failed to get the backing of the INC, claimed the endorsement already ordained the political landscape in Baguio.
Minister Gabriel Gallardo, INC Baguio-Benguet secretary, earlier said thousands of INC devotees "will follow to the dot" the list of candidates the sect is endorsing. "All members will follow since it is one of our doctrines to follow the decision of our leaders."
Notwithstanding the initial turnout of the elections for the national candidates, Vergara and Tabanda surprisingly trailed behind Councilors Braulio Yaranon and Peter Rey Bautista, who are now the assured winners in the mayoral and vice mayoral races, respectively, after the former conceded a day after the elections.
Likewise, results of the quick count conducted by the University of Baguio (UB) on the 126 barangays showed that Yaranon, Bautista and three of the council bets were not endorsed by the INC but are enjoying wide margins against their rivals.
As of May 11, a quick count by UB showed that Yaranon got 44,329 votes against Vergara's 20,532 while Bautista garnered 40,293 votes compared to Tabanda's 28,052.
Gratitude
President Arroyo, expressing her gratitude to the INC support, assured that she would not forget the promises she made which helped gain their support.
"I will cherish this as an inspiration to uphold moral leadership that truly lives in the fountain of the Almighty. Ka Erdie Manalo (INC Executive Minister) and Brother Mike Velarde (El Shadadi head) and
I share a deep commitment to the welfare of the people and I shall maintain this shared promise for a better tomorrow for the Filipino people," she said.
Deputy Presidential spokesman Ricardo Saludo clarified that they do not have any advance or specific information as to who and how many of the INC and El Shaddai members have actually voted for her.
Saludo said Arroyo would be holding her first Cabinet meeting since the May 10 elections on Friday morning to discuss the steps in the implementation of her six priority pledges for the poor.
"With the elections over, the President wants to immediately begin work on her governance agenda. The heads of implementing departments shall outline programs and measures to accelerate the delivery of the President's promises," Saludo said.
The six-point agenda includes the creation of one million jobs a year until 2010; supply of clean water to all barangays; electrification of 1,500 barangays a year and cutting of electricity costs; tripling of the loans to small business and the self-employed; construction of 3,000 schoolhouses a year and putting up of at least one computer set in every school; scholarships for children in every poor family; and reducing to half the price of medicines frequently used by the poor.
Presidential campaign spokesman Michael Defensor said Arroyo's Cabinet members and other government appointees who went on leave to help in her campaign have also started to return to work Wednesday. JMR
(May 13, 2004 issue)
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