THREE weeks ago, I wrote here that at the rate presidential candidates Grace Poe, Rodrigo Duterte and Mar Roxas were trying to destroy each other, they might just wake up one day to see Jejomar Binay waltzing all the way to Malacañang.
That possibility looms large now with the latest Pulse Asia survey showing Binay back on top in voters’ preference for president. And by a wide margin yet with his 33 percent versus Duterte’s 23 percent, Poe’s 21 percent and Roxas’ 17 percent.
Although another – and later – survey by the Social Weather Station shows Binay in a tie with Poe at 26 percent, the undeniable fact is that the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) standard bearer has steadied himself after his preference ratings fell steeply during the early and middle parts of this year amid allegations of corruption against him.
Is the man unsinkable? What did he do right?
Note that even at the time that his voters’ preference rating was at its lowest, Binay’s numbers never fell to single digit level. In other words, even when it hit rock bottom, his popularity was still high enough to make him a serious contender for the presidency. Simply put, the fellow had ample political capital.
And he didn’t do much. All that he did was avoid the limelight while Poe was fighting disqualification and blaming Roxas for her troubles and Duterte was cursing the traffic via the Pope and accusing Roxas of spreading lies about his health. And Roxas? Well, he didn’t do much either but, unlike Binay, he hadn’t much to start with.
His opponents will most probably say that surveys are only a guide and that the elections are still five months away. Indeed, many things can happen between now and May, 2016. But unless the other contenders revisit their campaign strategy (I know, the official campaign period hasn’t started yet but, pray tell me, who isn’t campaigning yet?) and focus on their strengths instead of harp on the perceived weaknesses of their rivals, Binay has everything sewed up.
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Can an acting mayor propose a budget? The question was asked by lawyer Ely Espinoza during our radio program yesterday after I suggested that Acting Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella submit a supplemental budget to the city council to pay off the city’s P2 billion plus loan to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).
I did that after I read that Labella has requested that the council meet for the last time to deliberate on the P2.8 billion supplemental budget that Mayor Michael Rama submitted a couple of months before he was preventively suspended. Seriously? That’s an exercise in futility.
Spare yourself the trouble, sir. The councilors will not change their minds about SB1. If you don’t mind getting unsolicited advice from an old friend, why don’t you prepare your own supplemental budget, if it is legally possible, to pay the loan to JICA only?
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I would like to thank readers Drs. Silverio Ceniza Jr. and Grace Joy Avila as well as Dennis Du for taking the time to remind me that the Miss Universe franchise is no longer owned by the goofy Donald Trump.
Actually, I already knew because I “Googled” it, that Trump did “sell” all his shares in the Miss Universe Organization to WME/IMG in the midst of the controversy generated by his campaign speech about Mexican illegal aliens. Note, however, that the “sale” took place three days after Trump became the company’s sole owner after buying out NBC’s shares.
There are those who believe that the “sale” was not real and was meant only to shield the Miss Universe contest from the damage caused by Trump’s loose mouth. I believe them than Trump.
(frankotherside@gmail.com)