MANILA, Philippines--The political party of the current presidential race?s richest candidate showed villagers in a small town in Camarines Sur what it?s like to have resources.

Gifts from the Nacionalista Party (NP) rained down on residents of Caramoan, a tourist town, as NP, presidential candidate Manuel Villar?s party, launched a sortie for its candidate for vice governor.

Villagers received food packs, house ware, slippers, school bags, small appliances and mattresses from NP candidates in the province.

Elsewhere, candidates for local positions signed peace covenants, mobilized volunteers and started pasting campaign materials where they shouldn?t be.

No-lose raffle

Fortunato Peña, candidate for vice governor and running mate of Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymund ?LRay? Villafuerte in the NP ticket, had drawn the names of thousands who received some 4,000 food packs and 2,400 slippers and school bags and 1,581 scholarship grants for elementary and high school students during a visit last Saturday.

A press statement sent to the Inquirer Monday by the Multi-Media Educational Center?the information and public relations arm of the Camarines Sur provincial government?said kitchen wares, electric flat irons, electric fans and mattresses were given away in the raffle draw.

Peña, the former budget officer of CamSur, represented Villafuerte in the villages Poblacion, Guijalo and Bikal in Caramoan.

Raining freebies

In a phone interview, Joventino Ruiz, mayoral candidate of the Liberal Party (LP) in Caramoan, confirmed there were lots of freebies given to villagers.

He called it premature campaigning, however, as the start of campaign for local candidates is March 26 yet.

In Lipa City, Batangas, the colors yellow, orange and green filled the Lipa Cathedral on Sunday when Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles led the signing of a peace covenant by candidates.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, former senator Ralph Recto, Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto, Vice Gov. Mark Leviste, former governor Armand Sanchez, Edwin Ermita (candidate for vice governor) and Rep. Teddy Casiño took part in the covenant.

Flood of tarpaulin

In Laguna, local and national candidates continued to flood towns with tarpaulin carrying their faces and names.

Residents of the university town of Los Baños, Laguna, gave varied reactions, including amusement, at the campaign materials.

A candidate for vice governor put out tarpaulin with the word ?vice? in small letters and the word ?governor? in big, bold, red letters.

A candidate for vice mayor put in his tarpaulin the phrase ?at your service, your former mayor,? with the words ?vice? and ?mayor? in bold letters.

Amusing

Beverly Laguartilla, 21, a college student, said she found the materials amusing.

Another student, Sheila May Abuca, 22, said at least voters would know this early the character of the candidates.

Eloise Bosito, 28, a young professional, said while candidates try to pass off their tarpaulin as mere announcements, ?it was obvious what they were doing.?

?It gives those with money an advantage,? she said.

Wasted money

Many other Los Baños residents, however, don?t find anything amusing with the proliferation of the disguised campaign materials.

Cita Pisimo, a 40-year-old sidewalk vendor, said money spent on the materials could have gone a long way helping the poor.

In Naga City, campaign staffers of Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, who is running for vice president, were the first ones to post election posters.

Not far behind are posters of presidential candidate Richard Gordon and his running mate Bayani Fernando and of party-list groups.

Naga, however, virtually turned yellow as members of the Liberal Party, party of presidential candidate Benigno ?Noynoy? Aquino III, tied yellow ribbons all over.