THEY come from different backgrounds. Each candidate projects himself/herself differently. Like oil and water, they can’t mix. But what do the presidentiables have in common?
One, they all think they will win. And win big. So after the elections, don’t expect any of the losers to graciously admit defeat. Expect the losers to claim that they have been cheated.
Two, they are all very promising. Yes, they make lots and lots of promises. To their credit, these promises do come in attractive packages. Thanks to PR handlers and spin doctors , all followers of Aristophanes who said ages ago:
“To win the people, always cook them some savoury that pleases them.” In other words, tell them what they want to hear.
Here are samples of those savouries.
Jejomar Binay has promised the following when elected:
- food on the table of every Filipino family, (with birthday cakes perhaps for all senior citizens)
- diplomas hanging on their walls ( He did not distinguish whether genuine or from “Recto” University.)
- jobs for the people (hopefully not just 15-30s)
- to look after the welfare of the Overseas Filipino Workers,
- make sure Filipinos will have their own houses (Take your pick. bahay ng posporo o bahay ng gagamba.)
- fight against criminality and price hikes.
Binay also vows to grant tax exemptions for those earning P30,000 and below, free medicine for all, free books, school supplies and uniforms for 20 million students, and to expand the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
Once in Malacanan, Miriam Defensor-Santiago vows to do this and to do that.
To strictly adopt and implement good governance, to sign the Freedom of Information Act, to aggressively fight the war against illegal drugs, to reform the tax system, to keep the government deficit below 3% of the GDP, to invest in public infrastructure, agriculture sector and government institutions.
Finally, Defensor-Santiago vows to fully and conscientiously implement the Reproducitive Health Law.
Tough-talking Rodrigo Duterte, on the other hand, promises to stop corruption in 3 to 6 months. In the process, Duterte intends to give Lydia’s Lechon a run for its money.
“If you don't kill me now, 4 months from now, I will roast you like pigs, all you criminals!”
During his serious moments but still with his trademark expletives, Duterte promises to implement Federalism – his golden bullet to achieve peace in Mindanao.
Duterte also promises to allot the biggest budgets to education, agriculture and health services.
He vows to improve on the 4Ps of PNOY (which PNOY borrowed from Gloria) by adding a 5th P. Duterte is referring to a livelihood component.
For her part, Grace Poe has it all clearly outlined. She has announced not 5-, not 10-, not 15-, but a 20-point agenda. Each point has 3 or 4 other sub-topics. Whew!
Poe’s plan covers the whole caboodle – education, agriculture, infrastructure, corruption, taxes, wages, electricity, Overseas Filipino Workers, crimes and drugs, peace process, human rights, health, national territory, traffic situation, more trains in the country, internet, arts/culture/sports, climate change, tourism and children.
Above all Poe promises a government with a heart. May Poe-so kuno.
Mar Roxas’ battle cries, on the other hand, are:
End Hunger…… Create Jobs…… Expand Government Services…..
To these, Roxas also adds his 3 Freedoms - Freedom from Hunger, Freedom from Fear, and Freedom to Dream.
Roxas’ programs are in the context of continuing and improving on the Daang Matuwid.
All of the above are nice to hear programs. The only problem is that we have no way of knowing now for sure who among the five candidates can really deliver on their promises.
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