14 interested in Arroyo’s job

MANILA, Philippines - Filipinos should brace themselves for colorful presidential elections in two years as 14 politicians will likely vie for the most coveted post in the land, a seasoned political analyst on Wednesday said. Speaking before members of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), political analyst Antonio P. Gatmaitan presented a list of 14 people, who "if the opportunity presents itself", would likely contest the 2010 presidential exercise. Topping the list was Vice-President Manuel "Noli" P. de Castro, Jr., a known crowd favorite who came in first during the 2001 Senate elections. He was followed by Senate President Manuel Villar, Jr., and Senator Francis Pangilinan, the chamber’s Majority Floor Leader. Senators Francis Joseph "Chiz" Escudero, who received the second highest number of votes during the Senate polls last year, Richard Gordon and Gregorio Honasan were also said to be interested in taking up residence in Malacañang. Senator Panfilo Lacson, who ran for President in 2004 and landed in third place, was said to be looking to try his luck anew. Finally, "vote-getter" Senator Loren Legarda is also expected to join the race. Ms. Legarda ran for senator in 1998 and 2007 and got over 12 million and 18 million votes, respectively. Senator Manuel "Mar" Roxas II, also described as a "vote-getter", is also expected to join the 2010 polls. Mr. Roxas ran for Senate in 2004 and obtained a "historic" 19.88 million votes, Mr. Gatmaitan said. Obviously not new to the game, former President Joseph Estrada was also said to be eyeing another run for the presidency, despite having been convicted for plunder and frequently described as now barred from seeking public office. Completing the list were Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, Quezon City Mayor Felicito "Sonny" Belmonte, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando and Cabinet Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. Businessmen declined to comment extensively on the list, with PCCI Chairman Miguel Varela saying that the business group, while remaining apolitical, had sought to update itself on 2010 election prospects. The upcoming polls, he said, were crucial to uplifting the lives of Filipinos. "We need a massive campaign to educate the public and ensure that mechanisms are in place to maintain the integrity of the ballot. We all want social and economic reforms and we continue to wait for that paradigm shift to a politics of substance from a politics of popularity," Mr. Varela said. Outgoing PCCI President Samie Lim said it was not too early to stage a forum on the 2010 elections. "We believe that the choice we will make in 2010 is so critical that we have to start early in assessing our potential leaders. "One of the questions to ask is, are we really having an election in 2010? If we are, who are the best candidates? It will also be interesting to look into the real power of different sectors and the new media in influencing voters’ decisions." Mr. Gatmaitan, who was described as enjoying more than 90% accuracy in his political analyses, also predicted a 72% turnout in 2010, equivalent to 32.83 million out of 45.6 million projected registered voters. He said the issues to be addressed for 2010 include measures to boost the economy; national security specifically public order, insurgencies and peace talks; environment; good governance; agrarian reform; human rights; and foreign policy. — B. S. Sto. Domingo, BusinessWorld