Erap-Binay tandem vows to be pro-poor and anti-corruption

Two campaign promises stood out most clearly when former President Joseph “Erap" Estrada and his running-mate Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay formally declared on Wednesday their intent to run for the country’s highest posts in the 2010 polls: to serve the poor, and to fight corruption. Estrada, whose campaign slogan “Erap para sa Mahirap" (Erap for the poor) helped him win the presidency in 1998, promised anew to stand by the poor if elected again to the presidency in 2010. “Nangangako ako, si Joseph Ejercito Estrada, ay lalahok sa susunod na halalan upang muling maglingkod sa masang Pilipino bilang pangulo ng Pilipinas," Estrada said in formalistic inaugural-address style, as he declared his presidential bid before a crowd estimated at 10,000. [See:http://www.gmanews.tv/story/175211/erap-seeking-presidency-again-amid-legal-questions] (I, Joseph Ejercito Estrada, vow to run in the coming elections to serve once more the Filipino masses as the president of the Philippines.) In the same speech, the former president, who was convicted of plunder in 2007, maintained that he was never corrupt during his term as president. “Kung ako may kasalanan sa inyo, wala na akong mukhang maihaharap sa inyo. Ni isang kusing man, wala akong ninakaw sa kaban ng bayan," he said. (I couldn’t face all of you now if I had done you wrong. I never stole from the country’s coffers, not a single cent.) During his speech, Estrada also cited several things that the “elitist" administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has failed to do for the poor, such as providing sufficient food and ensuring education for all. “Hirap ang natikman ng taumbayan. Sa halip na kaunlaran, kahirapan ang inabot ng sambayanan… Hindi nila pinakinggan ang boses ng masang Pilipino," he said. (The people tasted poverty instead of development… They [the present leaders] did not hear the voice of the Filipino masses.) Binay, who vowed to be Estrada’s staunch ally, also promised a mass-oriented leadership if elected vice-president. “Asahan n’yo na hindi ko kayo bibiguin. Asahan n’yo na lagi akong maninindigan para sa sambayanan, para sa ikakabuti ng mga Pilipino, para sa kalayaan at pagbabalik ng kapangyarihan sa masa," he said. (You can count on me not to let you down. Count on me to always stand up for the people, for the good of the Filipinos, for freedom and for restoring power back to the masses.) In his speech, Binay boasted of his achievements as current city mayor of Makati, such as improved senior-citizen and social welfare programs. The Makati mayor also said that the Filipinos should not vote for presidential aspirants who are “unprepared" to govern the country. “Sa bigat ng mga hamon na ito, maipagkakatiwala ba natin ang pamunuan ng ating bansa sa mga hindi handa? At sa mga walang ganap na karanasan na mamuno?" he said. (With such great challenges, should we entrust the country’s leadership to the unprepared ones? To those with not enough leadership experience?) In conclusion, Binay said: “Umaasa tayo na ang susunod na pangulo ay hindi siya magiging malulupit sa mahihirap, hindi siya manhid sa pagdurusa ng bayan, hindi niya gagamitin ang kaban ng bayan sa sariling kapakanan." (We hope that the next president will not be harsh to the poor, not be callous to the country’s sufferings, and not use the country’s coffers for personal gain.) As the unofficial election campaign season unfolds amid the recent calamities, it remains to be seen whether the catchphrases of being "for the poor" and "against corruption" will carry the Erap-Binay tandem to a high moral ground or at least popular stance, or simply push them to a more defensive one against their political rivals. - Andreo C. Calonzo, GMANews.TV