Sangil: The 2022 presidential race

IN A month or so, we will know who is in the presidential race. The presidential daughter is an early bird. Sara Duterte’s propaganda materials are all over. Just recently me and comedian Jimmy Santos went to an uphill portion of Barangay Sapangbato for the shoot of our vlog JIMMY SAINTS and along our climb we were greeted with several posters of the lady mayor of Davao City. They are all over. Very evident she is in. Her father Digong is telling media that he is discouraging her, but sad to say nobody believes him. He has lost his credibility a long time ago.(Remember his words: ‘For the life of me I don’t want to be president’). On the contrary, it is the reverse. For all you know, he has a hand in all these preparations for Sara, particularly now that an international criminal court is breathing on his neck. Sara’s presidency will serve as insurance for six more years.

Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio teaming up with former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario organized the Isambayan, (translated, One Nation. At this point, they are unsuccessful yet in looking for one candidate who can give the Dutertes a run for their money. It is in the lips of many and likely done in whisper that the Davao brand of politics should stop. The likely materials are Vice President Leni Robredo, Senators Ping Lacson, Grace Poe, Manny Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno among others. Grace Poe said she is not interested. She has credibility, so Carpio can put an X. Pacquiao is already punching his shadow but I think he is in the bottom list. Lacson is winnable, so is Isko in a face-off vs Sara. In a one-on-one, Robredo can deliver the coup de grace.

Come May next year, the electorates will troop to the polls on election day. It is the fervent hope of the well meaning sector of the citizenry that there should be a careful examination of the candidates whom we want to win and govern this country for six years. However, this is the reality on the ground. In many instances, a voter was just persuaded by friend or a kin to vote for a chosen candidate. And worse there is a payment in cash or in kind. That’s sad. Why do you think our country suffers similar problems we always curse? Rising unemployment, peace and order, corruption etc.etc. Because we don’t know how to vote.

It is an established practice that presidential candidates can make promises. Sky is the limit. They themselves know in their hearts most of what they promise are not doable. For example, the poverty reduction programs, support to farmers, ending the endo, stemming of government corruption etc.etc. These issues were promised each election year. Now, the reality on the ground. There are more than fourteen million Filipinos who are jobless and millions more underemployed. The pandemic pushed the numbers up). These basic problems besetting our country are getting worse each year.

Hope springs eternal. We are hoping to have in a presidential derby along the mold of Manuel Quezon, Elpidio Quirino, Ramon Magsaysay, Diosdado Macapagal and Ferdinand Marcos. But as they say, 'in the absence of the best, the worst is better'. Remember when Duterte captured the imagination of the voting public? Each one was saying then that his caliber is what the country need to combat the rising criminality and corruption in government. He had proven his leadership in Davao City, which was voted as one of the safest cities in the world. Question. Is your daughter or any family member now safe to walk the streets at night? Government people stopped raiding the coffers? Solons no longer demand SOP? No need to grease the palms of people at the BIR, BOC DPWH, etc? This is the state of the nation.

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