99.99% (Updated)

99.99% na daw na tatakbo si Erap bilang Presidente sa 2010 elections.

Ang problema, 99.99% din na hindi naman siya papayagang makatakbo ng Korte Suprema.

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99.99% na daw na tatakbo si Erap sa 2010.

"Eh ano naman ngayon", sabi naman ni Roxas, "naka pedicab kaya ako".

Erap, Makakatakbo Ka Pa Ba?

Sabi ng isang jogger ke Erap: "Erap! Makakatakbo ka pa ba?"

Sumagot naman si Erap: "Bakit hindi? Gusto mong subukan?"

Tsaka tumakbo si Erap.

Commercial lang pala ng gamot laban sa arthritis.

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While the constitutionalists, politicians, and analysts continue to debate kung pwede o hindi na ba pwedeng tumakbo si Erap Estrada para Presidente sa 2010, mukhang patuloy namang bumabango ang pangalan ni Erap sa mga surveys.

Sa latest political survey na ginawa ng Social Weather Station noong June 2009, nanguna si Erap sa listahan nang posibleng manalo bilang Presidente sa 2010.

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The following personalities tops the nationwide survey:

• Joseph "Erap" Estrada- 21%
• Manuel "Manny" Villar- 19%
• Francis "Chiz" Escudero- 18%
• Noli "Kabayan" De Castro- 15%
• Manuel "Mar" Roxas- 9%
• Loren Legarda- 7%




Mabilis talagang magpatawad ang pinoy.

Battle of the Gods

We are in exciting times, aren't we?

By the looks of it, it seems the gods are taking an active part in the Pinoys' favorite subject, which is, the coming 2010 elections.

For those who have followed the course of nation's history, it is to be noticed that the religious sects have always been taking active participation in the way we choose our leaders, and in the way our leaders govern us. Perhaps it is safe to say that at least, in the Philippines, leaders rise and fall on religion.

It is the voice of Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, heard over the radio, that summoned the countless people to stage the historic EDSA Revolution in 1986.

While the Christian group of Eddie Villanueva endorsed Jose De Venecia's presidential bid in 1998, Joseph Estrada amassed the votes of the Iglesia ni Cristo and the El Shaddai group and made his way to the Palace in one of the biggest vote margin difference in the history of Philippine Presidential elections.

Some years after, however, these same religious groups were calling their members to once again proceed to EDSA and ask Joseph Estrada to step down to power.

As we approach the 2010 elections, the people expect that religion once again will play an important role in the outcome of the voting.

As early as March 2009, Bro. Eddie Villanueva of the Jesus Is Lord Movement who takes pride of his strong 5 million populace, has announced his intention to run again for President (he ran and lost to Gloria Arroyo in 2004). Believing that he has received a clear mandate from God, Bro. Eddie said that he is stepping down from his post as a church pastor in order to fulfill his call to lead our nation. Thus, he claims to have received his blessing from "priestly anointing" to "kingly anointing".

This July, Catholic priest turned Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio has also announced that he'll be running for President. Panlilio said that after much prayer and discernment, he is sure that 'God called him to run for the presidency'.

Nobody, of course, will ever believe that the influential Muslim group, Iglesia Ni Cristo and El Shaddai will support any among Panlilio and Villanueva. Thus, people expect that they will be supporting the rest of either Mar Roxas, Manny Villar, Noli De Castro, etc.

With four months to go before the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy in November, and with eight months before the May elections next year, the Filipino is once again at the front of choosing his next president. Not withstanding which sect we belong to, let us all pray that the real God will appoint the best and the proper person to become our President.

The News and My Views: 22 June 2009

Inquirer.net: Solons Meet DOH, WHO executives on A(H1N1)

The committee on health of the House of Representatives will hold a meeting
Monday with health officials and representatives of the World Health
Organization (WHO) to talk about the Influenza A(H1N1) virus amid its rapid
spread in the country.

My Views: Why only now? The pandemic virus has been sensational since April or May, and our Solons only focus on this two months after-when about 400 Filipinos are finally inflicted. Talk about the Philippines being "not ready" to face the crisis. (In short, mas interesado pa kasi sila sa isyu ni Katrina at Hayden- at sa Con Ass).

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Philstar: JPE: If GMA runs, she abandons presidency

If President Arroyo decides to run for a congressional seat in
Pampanga in the 2010 elections, it would be tantamount to abandoning the
presidency, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said yesterday.

My Views: Pa'no ba ang scenario? GMA steps down from the Presidency to run for Congresswoman in Pampanga. Noli inherits the top position.... and then, what happens to the Philippines? Pikit-mata.

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Inquirer.net: Estrada buys $1.6M Chopper for sorties

Soon, Joseph Estrada will be stumping the country on a spanking new $1.6-million
helicopter --but like President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, he is keeping the
nation guessing on his political plans for 2010

My Views: Tama nga ang sabi nila na kapag eleksiyon eh andaming perang umiikot sa Pilipinas.

Second In Rank

I believe former President Erap Estrada said it correctly that he and Kabayan Vice President Noli De Castro will be the toughest rivals in the 2010 elections.

That is, of course, supposing the law acknowledges the legality of his being able to run again for the presidency.

Coming from a similar background, with both having the much needed appeal of the masses, the two men are assured of getting a big chunk of support (converted into votes) from the poor, who, as what Erap claims, comprise of about 80 percent of the filipino voters.

Erap, though convicted with plunder but was swiftly granted pardon by Gloria Arroyo, continues to charm the masses during his provincial sorties. It is as if the Filipino has already forgotten that at one point in history, this man has been tried and convicted of stealing money from the people.

And while the so-called opposition leaders, Villar, Roxas, Lacson, et al, continue to do their separate tactics to rank in the surveys, Erap's popularity easily moves his name on top of the list.

Noli, on the other hand, has not dealt to stand on any major issue, nor contradict the unpopular Gloria Arroyo, making him still the Administration's best (and only) choice as the standard-bearer. His "clean image", plus the administration's machinery and power, makes Kabayan Noli a man to beat in the coming election.

If the current situations will continue, we might see a race among Erap, Noli, Villar and Roxas, plus possibly the other hopefuls Villanueva and Panlilio. Logic will cast Villanueva and Panlilio out of contention (unless of course, God Himself performs a miracle and puts any of the two as the ruler). Villar and Roxas, I suppose, are a no-match in terms of masa appeal versus our two main proponents.

So that leaves us to only two individuals fighting for the top post. Will it be the returning Erap, or the popular Noli?

In either way, I believe it's about time we start praying that we will also be able to vote and choose for a very good Vice President.

Oftentimes, the people focus their mind on the presidential hopefuls, disregarding the fact that we also need a very good Vice President in place. A VP position may have been, in the past, easily overshadowed by the President, but unknown to many, the VP post is an equally important position in the land.

After all, if only we chose the best VP in 1998, history must have taken us into a different course after EDSA Dos.

Now, more than ever, let us pray that we will choose a credible and righteous Vice President.

Erap For President?

Clearly, Erap is back on track.

Over the decade, former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, in the eyes of the Filipino people, became prince, then pig, then prince again.

Flashback:

Erap became the 13th President of the Philippines from June 30, 1998 to January 20, 2001. He was peacefully overthrown by the Second People Power Revolution after his aborted impeachment trial in the Senate, where eleven Philippine senators refused to examine the second envelope of the Jose Velarde bank account that would supposedly prove acts of political corruption. On April 4, 2001, the trial of Estrada began as Ombudsman Aniano Desierto filed before the Sandiganbayan, a Philippine anti-graft court, a PHP 4-billion plunder suit and a minor perjury charge for falsely declaring his assets and illegally using the Jose Velarde alias. On September 12, 2007, he became the first Philippine President to be convicted of a crime after the Sandiganbayan found him guilty of plunder, which is punishable by reclusion perpetua. He was detained in his Tanay, Rizal resthouse but then pardoned by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on October 25, 2007.

Until today, Erap is actually a free man roaming around the country and undeniably a still strong opposition character.

But is he still a threat against the ruling administration party headed by incumbent president Gloria Arroyo?

His lawyers have repeatedly took their stand- Erap can still run for office. And Erap have always expressed that he will be forced to run if and when the opposition fail to unite and field a single candidate come 2010.

On Monday, April 13, following his repeated announcement to run for the Presidency, Erap has released a list of the opposition's (Partido ng Masang Pilipino) twelve senatoriables for the coming elections, namely:

1. Reelectionist Senator Juan Ponce Enrile (Isn't he a GMA ally now?)
2. Reelectionist Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago (another GMA ally? Or an opposition? Or.... ano ba talaga?)
3. Reelectionist Senator Jinggoy Estrada (In fairness, magaling si Jinggoy)
4. Former Sen. Sergio Osmeña III (I like this guy. Kahit kapatid pa niya si......)
5. Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez (aww, kaya pala nagyayaya ng suntukan: publicity pala iyon)
6. Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño
7. United Opposition spokesman Adel Tamano (pwede! iboboto ito ng federacion!)
8. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III (he should learn better this time. huwag na maulit ang nangyari dati)
9. Broadcast journalist Ted Failon (e di ba nga nag congressman na rin? me nagawa ba?)
10. Grace Poe (Grace who?!!! Aah, anak pala ni FPJ. Naalala ko tuloy nuong tumakbo si Sonia Roco-olats)
11. Brig. Gen. Danny Lim. (whatever happened to Sonny Trillanes? Edi pareho ring wala tayong mapapala kung mananalo si Danny Lim?)
12. Gina De Venecia (wife of ousted House Speaker JDV)

(Former Sen. Agapito “Butz” Aquino and Makati Mayor Jejomar “Jojo” Binay were listed as reserves, in case some of the first choices backed out)

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While Erap has repeatedly said that he will run for president in 2010, many analysts believe that he wouldn't, but instead, play the role of kingmaker in the coming elections. Thus, we can still expect lots of changes in the coming days as the deadline for submission of Certificate of Candidacy (in November ?) draws near.

And to me, the key really, is for the opposition to field a single candidate. Else, we end up having a GMA-FPJ story part 2.