Category Archives: Politics

By Sarreal Discaya Soquiño

Most probably, allies and avid supporters of former Senator Mar Roxas have not yet fully understood why the candidate they supported for the vice presidential race last May 10 national polls lost against former Makati  Mayor Jejomar Binay, who consistently lagged behind in the poll surveys conducted by reputable pollsters. Certainly, various factors came into play during the campaign period that eventually influenced the outcome of the first automated election held in the country.

Despite Roxas’ strong showing in the poll surveys leaving behind comfortably Loren Legarda who was viewed by the Liberal Party (LP) as a closest contender of the man from Cubao in the contest for the vice presidential post, everybody was caught off-guard when Binay from the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) suddenly threatened Roxas’ chance to clinch the VP post. It was viewed by many observers that the 289 sister cities and municipalities of Makati Binay had established while he was the local chief of the wealthiest city in the country played a vital role in securing massive votes for him which Roxas failed to matched. Manila Standard columnist Emil P. Jurado wrote that those sister cities and municipalities have been receiving from Makati Php 1 million a month and other forms of assistance like ambulances and police patrol cars. Example, it was reported that the town of Malay, Aklan received two multi-cab vehicles in 2009 from the city of Makati.  These fortunate LGUs will certainly throw its support to a candidate who have delivered concrete assistance it badly needed than to a senator who had spent his time and energy enhancing for years his public image as the man in blue who loves to mingle with ordinary people in the marketplaces.

The reported infigthing between the Coryistas – the yellow Aquino group – and Roxas Camp during the campaign period may have caused Continue reading →