Gordon, Bayani vow no star-studded campaign

Veering from traditional political campaign rallies, the "transformers" tandem of presidential candidate Sen. Richard Gordon and his running mate Bayani Fernando would not hire the services of actors and actresses to attract crowds as the duo goes around promoting their candidacies.

According to Fernando, hiring actors would be very expensive, and that their team wanted to show there was no need to splurge in their campaign. "We will use creative campaign to compensate for the lack of cash," Fernando said at a press conference before their motorcade to Cavite on the first day of the campaign period for candidates seeking national posts. But the tandem said they were open to tapping celebrities so long as they volunteer to campaign for Gordon and Fernando for free. In holding rallies, he said, what's important is for a candidate to be able to relay his message and platform to the people. But he took a swipe at Nationalista Party standard bearer Manuel Villar Jr. and Liberal Party vice presidential candidate Manuel "Mar" Roxas II. "Ano na ba ang nasabi sa tao? Walang ibang sinabi kung hindi mahirap sila, sipag at tiyaga. Na kakalungin nila ang mahihirap. Yung isa naman papadyak? Pero ano ang maliwanag na gagawin nila?" said Fernando, former chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA). Sipag at tiyaga (diligence and patience) is Villar's slogan, while padyak (pedaling a pedicab) refers to Roxas who used pedicab in one of his political ads when he was still aspiring for the presidency. Instead of hiring actors, Fernando, a winner of the 2008 Celebrity Duets, said he and his running mate would be the ones to serenade the crowd. "Lahat gagawin namin para makuha attention ng publiko (we will do everything to draw the attention of the people)," he said in jest. Optimus Prime What could serve as the main attraction in the campaign of Gordon and Fernando is Optimus Prime, the 10-wheel Isuzu truck that will carry them throughout their motorcade. On Thursday, Red Garcia, head of the tandem's media bureau, said the truck will also signify modernization and advancement: "Kailangan ma-transform ang buhay ng Pilipino from kahirapan (the lives of Filipinos must be transformed from poverty) to advancement." Based on popularity surveys, however, the Gordon-Bayani tandem needs a lot of catching up to do, and it remains to be seen if the Optimus Prime gimmick will push the duo to the top as the campaign goes on. Gordon did not fare well in Pulse Asia’s January 22 to 26 presidential preference survey, landing on 6th place with one percent. Senator Benigno Simeon Aquino III leads the pack with 37 percent preference rating; followed by Villar, 35 percent; former President Joseph Estrada, 12 percent, administration candidate Gilberto Teodoro Jr., 5 percent; and 5th Bangon Pilipinas’ Eddie Villanueva, 2 percent. Trailing Gordon were Senator Jamby Madrigal (0.5 percent), Olongapo City Councilor John Carlos "JC" delos Reyes (0.3), Vetellano Acosta (0.2), and environmentalist Nicanor Perlas (0.05). In the same Pulse Asia survey, Fernando's showing was similarly unimpressive. He was tied with the administration’s vice presidential bet Edu Manzano with 2-percent preference ratings. Roxas, Aquino’s running mate, led the vice residential pack with 47 percent; Loren Legarda, 28 percent; and Estrada’s running mate, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, 13 percent. Trailing were former Securities and Exchange Commission chief Perfecto Yasay (1 percent), veteran broadcaster Jay Sonza (0.2 percent) and Ang Kapatiran’s Dominador Chipeco (0.07 percent). - LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV