THE senatorial election is more often than not a matter of popularity. That is why in results of recent surveys by both Pulse Asia and the Social Weather Station, candidates who are already known nationwide and have nationwide machinery are the ones that have managed to sneak into the so-called Magic 12 contenders. They are mostly reelectionists or ones that have been in the Senate before.
But that does not mean the less popular or the newbies do not have a chance at all. There have been exceptions in the past when effort and the senatorial bet’s marketability won over mere popularity. And newbies in the opposition senatorial slate Otso Diretso do not need to go far for inspiration.
In the 2016 vice presidential race, now Vice President Leni Robredo went against more popular bets with nationwide organizational clout led by no less the namesake of a former dictator himself, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. The Marcos name can either be a boon or a bane depending on where your loyalty lay. But there was no doubt that name recall was not on Robredo’s side even if she was a congresswoman and the widow of former Interior secretary Jesse Robredo.
Robredo’s persistence and her character, grace and intellect carried her over the hump. Who would have thought that a relative newbie in a nationwide electoral joust would triumph in the end? Marcos filed an electoral protest but I doubt if he would succeed in ousting Robredo.
Or here’s another example. I am not a fan of senatorial candidate Christopher “Bong” Go, the presidential aide known for his penchant for selfies. He is the administration bet whose candidacy is known for being brazenly promoted by President Duterte and the nationwide band of diehard Duterte supporters. But even with that, survey results initially had him outside of the Magic 12.
But I must give it to the man and his band of supporters. His persistence is paying off. After months of, well, early politicking nationwide, Go is now in the Magic 12, easing out more popular bets. So Samira Gutoc-Tomawis, Florin Hilbay, Chel Diokno, Romulo Makalintal, Gary Alejano, Erin Tanada can still be like Bam Aquino and Mar Roxas who are in the Magic 12.
Their supporters nationwide should also work overtime. The campaign, after all, is not a one-way street. It’s not only about the candidates but also of the people who believe in them and the cases they espoused. Supporters should also be dogged in the promotion of their favored candidates, especially those with meager resources.
Besides, there’s the fact that the number of voters who did not vote for Duterte outnumber those who did. Roxas and Poe may not be on one slate, but their supporters can work with the common purpose of making more opposition senatorial bets win. This is the only way to ensure our governance won’t lapse into a virtual dictatorship.
In the past, the Senate was crucial in ensuring that the obnoxious dictates of the executive or the self-serving acts of the House of Representatives would hit a brick wall. Remember Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s draft federal constitution? So vote wisely.