THE third presidential debate last night kicked off the last two weeks before the Filipino people cast their votes and elect our next leaders. I don’t look at the debate as just another battle to get ahead in a numbers game. It was our last chance to determine who among the contenders will best push the Philippines forward.
Many, however, already made up their minds. For these people, the third debate was just a venue for demonstrating who had the bigger, noisier cheering squad online and offline.
Still, major mistakes could mean changes in survey results. We’ve seen in 2010 how last-minute special operations spelled victory for the Binay campaign.
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I would have wanted to write this column after, not before, the third debate. But that’s the limitation of my weekly column.
Thus, I plan to engage more in Facebook and Twitter. Perhaps, I could find time to write one or two more posts for “In Between Columns” as the 2016 presidential race nears the finish line.
I just hope the presidential hopefuls would conduct the debate in a more presidentiable manner this time around. The candidates for vice presidents conducted themselves in a more presidential bearing in their past two debates than the so-called presidentiables.
Come to think of it, the 2016 election is something I have never seen before as a political observer. One that I find interesting is the attention Filipinos have for the presidential and vice presidential debates.
Remember the second debate in Cebu last month? What struck me was the mobilization of people by the different political camps.
Then, there is the interplay of social media and traditional political campaign methods.
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Nearly 30 members of the Anti-Bongbong Coalition were stationed near the Mactan-Cebu International Airport general aviation terminal to unwelcome the dictator’s heir Bongbong Marcos.
The senator who wants to return to Malacañang via the vice presidential route was set to speak before members of the Cebu Newscoop. However, he failed tao arrive.
When the group learned Bongbong decided to skip his Cebu speaking engagement, they went to the Mactan Shrine for a group picture before the imposing statue of Lapu-Lapu. Posted online, the photo expresses the message that Cebu does not want Bongbong.
Curiously, Cebu-based Bongbong supporters claimed in Facebook that local supporters of Davao City Mayor Digong Duterte are mostly Aldub, or Alyansang Duterte-Bongbong. The claim nevertheless runs counter the ongoing Sun.Star online survey that shows Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano surging ahead in Cebu. I am not surprised by Cayetano’s performance here, considering that in Cebu he topped the 2013 Senate race.
Consider further the impact of key women leaders in the Digong camp rooting for Cong. Leni Robredo.
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Robredo has succeeded in projecting herself during the vice presidential debates as the candidate who has long been helping the poor. This will further be driven home as the Sumilao farmers started a march for Leni from Bukidnon last week.
To recall, the farmers embarked on a dramatic march last 2007 to focus attention on an attempt to grab the lands they tilled in Sumilao. The farmers won the struggle and went on to own the land.
Naga City under then Mayor Jesse Robredo gave them a warm welcome. Helping them legally was the NGO called Saligan and Atty. Leni Robredo.
I expect the publicity generated by the march to resonate among the grassroots as they approach Manila.
The farmers arrived in Cebu from Cagayan de Oro last Friday. After spreading their message around Cebu, they boarded a boat for Ormoc that night.
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Another candidate pushing for the uplift of farmers is Kiko Pangilinan. During a gathering last Saturday, he stressed the need to address the poverty that pushed the farmers to rally in Kidapawan. Apparently, Kiko drew experience when he himself decided to become a farmer in the family farm.
Mega star Sharon Cuneta and the kids joined him in the campaign trail. Saturday was the first day of their family caravan that began in Iloilo. They then flew to Cebu that same day to meet members of the Cebu media.
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Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama had no qualms about distributing City Government funds to Team Rama barangay captains without Comelec approval. But he cries “abominable” when Liberal Party leaders give out P5,000 in party funds to BOPK barangay captains. Yabag!
(anol_cebu in Twitter)