Of mixed slates, business and politics

President Benigno Aquino III is hitting the campaign trail to make sure his administration will wipe out the competition in the coming May elections. If the latest Social Weather Station (SWS) survey results are any indication, I think he could hit the mark, unless a major issue crops up to upend the sizable advantage.

Except for the so-called “Team Patay” campaign that some Church officials are waging against pro-reproductive health stalwarts which includes many in the Liberal Party (LP) slate, I don’t hear any dubious deals ala-NBN ZTE that would sully President Aquino’s image enough to bring the LP slate to political perdition.

The SWS polling conducted last Feb. 15 to 17 had nine P-Noy bets in the magic column and only three from the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA). The results are significant because the national campaign is in the early rounds and the coalition has yet to flex its muscles in the local level.

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In the sidelines of the Cebu City Charter Day 2013 awardee 888 News Forum, I talked with barangay captain Ricardo “Nonoy” Reluya of Panadtaran, San Fernando town about his assessment of the local political climate.

Reluya and his wife, former San Fernando town mayor Lakambini “Neneth” Reluya will battle with incumbent Mayor Antonio Canoy and son Miko for the mayoralty and vice mayoralty posts in May. The political tension in San Fernando town between the Canoys and Reluyas is very intense. The southern town is tagged by the Commission on Elections as an election hot spot.

According to the barangay leader, who is affiliated with the local party Alayon led by 1st district Rep. Eduardo Gullas, the campaign for senatorial bets will be based on the national alliance forged by Alayon with the Nacionalista Party (NP) and in turn, the NP’s coalition with the LP at this time.

Alayon is also associated with the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), but one can’t also set aside the psychological alliance of NPC with former President Joseph Estrada. Recall that Erap won the 1998 presidential elections on the strength of the party coalition forged by his Lapian ng Masang Pilipino with NPC.

In the end, Reluya said the district will go zona libre (free zone) in the May elections. I got the impression that dili makapugong si Eddiegul kun si kinsay paluyohan sa iyang mga ka-alyado pagka senador, gobernador og bise gobernador.

This is not surprising because Eddiegul himself plays the card in the local level. He is supporting One Cebu gubernatorial candidate Pablo John Garcia and administration candidate for vice governor Agnes Magpale.

The “kabang” or mixed slate highlights the political tightrope act that Eddiegul will be doing in this election. He cannot simply set aside the Garcias because of their long-standing alliance but on the other hand, the LP is counting on his support in the district.

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Because the mid-term election is considered a referendum for the current administration, it is a guarantee that the President will campaign hard for the LP coalition slate. He is practically in two places at one time because he hits the campaign trail in areas where he is scheduled for some official functions.

For example, when he visited Cebu last week, he made time to join supporters in Tabunok, Talisay City before making his appearance the following day for the inaugural of the latest project of major property developer Megaworld Corp. After that, the President hopped to Liloan town to court voters in the northern part of the province.

The messages that come out President Aquino’s appearance in the unveiling of a P20-billion investment plan for Megaworld’s development project in Mactan speak volumes. It recalls the stellar performance of the Philippine stock exchange and validates the robust growth of the national economy, 6.6 percent in the last quarter. Economic experts cite the rise in gross domestic product as “fueled by a recovery in agricultural activity, increased construction and higher public and private spending.”

The confidence of big business in the current administration is a significant issue in the campaign.

The business and investment climate is determined to a very large degree by the kind of government that is in place or how the highest official of the land is perceived in the business and international community, and so when an investor like Megaworld’s Andrew Tan decides to turn on the company’s faucet and allow P20 billion to flow in the next seven years, it spells a vote of confidence for the Aquino administration.

The same insight may be gathered from reports that businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan and tycoon John Gokongwei have joined forces to jointly bid for the P17.5 billion Mactan Cebu International Airport passenger terminal redevelopment project. It is certain to attract other players, which is conducive to the conduct of a transparent bid.

No such investment will flow if the country’s top politician and his team are perceived to be corrupt. P-Noy’s critics who are forever carping that he has not brought any projects for Cebu must be red in the face over these developments.