Perlas takes low profile during first day of campaign

Filipinos woke up to a candy-colored world on Tuesday morning, as ground volunteers began dotting the streets with campaign materials as early as nine in the evening the night before. While the city was sleeping, tree trunks had yellow ribbons tied around them and walls were papered with candidates' blown up images. As the sun rose, an assortment of events took place: A giant Philippine flag – supposedly the largest so far – was unfurled on Luneta grounds, a mass was held at the St. Joseph Parish in Olongapo, a motorcade cruised along the streets of Biñan, Laguna, and rallies were organized in Tarlac, Antipolo, and Plaza Miranda. But other candidates took their time and hardly participated in the fanfare on Tuesday, the start of the campaign for national positions. Among them included presidential bet Nicanor Perlas and detained former Army general Danilo Lim, who is running as a senatorial candidate. Lim is currently detained. Presidential bet’s hardly visible In a GMA 7 television report, Lim was quoted as saying he would not ride along with the rest of the candidates. For his part, Nicanor Perlas began his campaign quietly at 11:30 am at his alma mater along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City. This is to target the youth, because they are more willing to embrace new politics, according to Perlas. "They are in the best position to make a decision based on track record and experience, di pa sila masyadaong nadadamay sa traditional politics, they would have a better understanding of the possibilities of new politics," he told GMANews.TV in a telephone interview. Perlas, 58, finished his primary and secondary education at the Ateneo de Manila University. He earned his degree in Agriculture at the Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City and his Masters degree in Botany at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, Laguna. The activities on Tuesday are just a buildup towards Perlas’ official campaign kickoff which will be held in Cebu on Saturday, to send a signal that focus should also be trained on areas outside Metro Manila. "We really wanted to kickoff the campaign in Cebu, but logistics could not coincide with February 9," Perlas told GMANes.TV in a phone interview. "We should pay attention to development in all regions. Seventy per cent of poverty is in the rural areas. Also, much of our environmental and agricultural concerns are there, as well as conflict situations like those in Mindanao," he said. Upon speaking with GMANews.TV, Perlas said he was on his way to a live television interview with the Global News Network, which will be aired by Destiny Cable. He also has forthcoming interviews with a number of newspapers. A bike run will also be held on February 12 at 5:30 am at the Quezon City Memorial Circle, a fitting if predictable event for Perlas, an environmentalist. The event was reset to March, Perlas' spokesperson told GMANews.TV. Perlas will not be biking, but he will be present at the "picnick" afterwards. Other public events for Mr. Perlas will be held in different places, like the vegetarian Corner Tree Cafe along Jupiter Avenue in Makati. Going against the grain Perlas had previously established himself as a non-traditional candidate, as he claims on his official website. The Comelec first excluded him from the official list of candidates, but later on reversed their decision and allowed Perlas to run the presidential race in light of his "distinguished track record in public service" and capacity to launch a nationwide campaign through the environmentalist’s "access to national media" and "organized group of persons… who volunteered to support for his bid for candidacy." Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento earlier said those who were not on the list were not necessarily regarded as nuisance candidates, and they may have been deemed incapable of launching a nationwide campaign without being backed by a party. Perlas said the approval was a historical decision, saying it sends a message for really qualified candidates of this country that not only money will be the qualification (to run for an elective post), but the vision for Filipinos," Perlas told reporters on January 14. At GMA7’s “Eleksyon 2010: Tatakbo Ka Ba? fun run, Perlas' comprehensive personal regimen stood out among the other presidential hopefuls' answers to the question "How do you keep yourself fit?" Believing that what the country needs is a “cultural revolution," Perlas aims to create a new Cabinet position on civil society affairs. "For me this is important because we are going to introduce a new concept of governance that goes beyond government," he said in an earlier report. "Many of the problems in the country are basically problems of mindsets rooted in the past, rooted in habits, rooted in drives. It's useless to change leaders without changing the system. And we cannot change the system if we do not change hearts and minds," he said on his website. Among his supporters are music icons and siblings Joey Ayala and Cynthia Alexander, and Clarie Bontol, who recently topped the Nursing Licensure Examination. - GMANews.TV