Aquino, admin bets hold Palace meet

WINE OF HONOR President Aquino leads the traditional toast for the New Year’s “vin d’honneur” at Rizal Hall of Malacañang on Friday. The reception—the 26th since the 1986 Edsa Revolution—is attended by government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, officials of international organizations and businessmen. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III has assured the senatorial candidates of the Liberal Party-led administration coalition of his support when he met with them behind closed doors in Malacañang on Friday after the vin d’honneur, the traditional New Year reception for high officials of the government and the diplomatic corps.

At the meeting were members of the ruling coalition’s Senate ticket, except for Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Francis Escudero and former Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar.

“[Mr. Aquino] assured us of [the LP’s] support and asked about our concerns such as advertising, advocacies,” said Aurora Rep. Sonny Angara, one of the 12 candidates.

“The common thread among diverse candidates is support for the President’s reforms,” said Angara.

The administration’s senatorial slate includes reelectionist Senators Loren Legarda, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Antonio Trillanes, former Senators Ramon Magsaysay Jr. and Jamby Madrigal, former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, Grace Poe-Llamanzares, daughter of the late actor Fernando Poe Jr., and Mr. Aquino’s cousin, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV.

Only six LP candidates led by Legarda and Escudero, however, have fared well in the surveys.

“[The meeting] was more of a brainstorming,” said an administration source, who also disclosed that funding for the campaign ads of the candidates was not discussed.

Trillanes denied rumors the ruling coalition was playing catch-up with its rival, the United Nationalist Alliance, which appeared to have started its provincial sorties in Batangas early last week. Michael Lim Ubac