Grace Poe's Mindless Rants and Chiz Escudero's hubris

Let's not be fooled. The Inquirer and ABS-CBN 2 described it best---Escudero's proclamation, as well as that of Grace Poe, are like birthday bashes---full of activity and frenzy. Yet, remember that these events only happened here, in Metro Manila, and witnessed by several million outside of MM yet never of the rest of Filipino humanity in other parts. It may affect several voters but the rest of humanity, no.

I, and many others, expected something new from Grace Poe's speech but as expected, nothing. A 20-point agenda you say? Those things which Poe said were "problem areas" are a mishmash of presumptions which have attended the concerns of the government since Day One of this Republic. One Congressman described it best---a copy-paste speech which lacks the proper requisites for a formal program of Government.

Manila mayor Joseph Estrada is right when he said that it Poe's speech was a litany of presumed problems but lacks answers. " Madaling mangako, pero yung pagbigay ng solusyon, paano?" says Estrada, which, for me, is SPOT-ON.

It is the same thing with Escudero's speech although compared with Poe's, the speech of Chiz is better structured. What it terribly lacks is integrity, and honesty.

At one point, Chiz lied when he says that he just live in a townhouse. Watch this Youtube video of Chiz Escudero's powerhouse, and tell me if this is an ordinary townhouse or a mansion see this link.

After you watch this video, Escudero even endorsed Jejomar Binay as his "vice president".

Chiz always says that he is "humbled" and he "humbly" does this and that, yet he delivered it in such a boastful manner that his speech becomes hubris. From being "humbled" to hubris is something which describes fully who Chiz really is.

Chiz is a young legislator and hails from Sorsogon. Question---what is the condition of Sorsogon? The province remains one of the most impoverished places in the Philippines. And in spite that, Escudero can even afford a Balesin wedding.

That event was staged to condition the minds of politicians that Grace Poe is "hot" and "is winnable". That surveys upon surveys point to her as the topmost in the minds of voters and most probably, could even snatch the top post in 2016.

Such conditioning really deadens the mind and puts an extra beat in one's heart. However, ultimately, voting is a rational decision. You cannot just do that--the Filipino voter is a conscious voter.

Poe and Escudero say that they do not intend to build a political party---another lie. They plan to build a coalition party composed of most members of the Nationalist Peoples Coalition (NPC), most members of the Liberals and several from the Nacionalista Party.

Of course, I don't presume that these two are so unrealistic. They know how politics works in the Philippines. And ultimately, you need an organized campaign.

What happens in Metro Manila surely does not affect the provinces. There is a new world out there outside the Metro. That is one valuable lesson in 2004 with the FPJ electoral campaign.

I agree with what an experienced Political Operator whom I was fortunate to converse with several weeks ago---this campaign will start on a high point and will end in a disappointing way.

People are converging towards Poe because of the impression that Poe has tons of monies. Of course, who would not be convinced of Poe's? Talks are rife that Poe has billions to spend for this elections, courtesy, of course, by Ramon S. Ang, her husband's boss. Rumors are spreading that Ang already gave as much as 400 million to Grace Poe.

And you know how politics works in the Philippines---people will go to you because you have monies. When you lose it, and you lose it real fast due to expenses, most will go their own way. Local politicians will play politics the way they traditionally do it.

In the end, since politicians know the psychology of Filipino voters, they will go their merry way, with Poe's funds, and will do their own way. So does Filipino voters who will vote for what they truly think is worthy of their votes---experience and direct interaction are two very important things which determine one's success in the elections.

It is just 8 months to the elections. Poe and Escudero have a loooong way to go.

2016 Presidential Elections could lead to True Change in Philippine society

Elite groups are fighting against each other for the biggest booty ever in Philippine History--control over a trillion pesos worth of resources. With an investment of just 2 billion pesos (for a Presidential candidate), one could earn a triple or even a hundred times if his bet succeeds in clinching the top Executive post.

Wittingly or unwittingly, these groups have gone exactly overboard by turning this election into an emotional one. When the Liberal Party and their non-LP cohorts, Senators Cayetano, Trillanes and Pimentel attacked Vice president Binay, they wittingly or unwittingly made this election, personal rather than purely political. Not only did they tried to destroy the credibility of their political enemy, they foolishly dragged other personalities in the fray, which could prove disastrous not just to their individual political careers but more so, to the general conduct of the 2016 Presidential elections in particular.

Now, who will believe that Binay will lose this election fair and square, when at a very early stage, these personalities have spent not just their time but their financial resources just to derail the campaign of Binay for the presidency? These political attacks, at this very early, have surely backfired.

Yes, it did its goal of portraying Binay's ratings going South, but without manipulating results to show another candidate emerging from the woodwork. The people are not stupid. They know what is happening. Who will then believe of a Binay loss now that the people knew that these elite groups have conspired against him and who will not believe that these groups paid and even manipulated election results just to stop Binay from winning?

What would prevent Binay's supporters from engaging in extra-constitutional means in 2016? None. The same way goes to supporters of Poe. They were made to believe that Poe's numbers are improving and are reflective of a general sentiment of support. They don't know that Poe's ratings can be likened to a balloon ready to explode before their faces anytime soon. Why? Because their candidate's true nature is farthest from her public persona and the minute this is exposed, this would surely be very big.

Of course, the LP cannot, by conscience, claim victory for Mar because no one would believe it. This early, Roxas is a goner. Ask anyone. Even if the LP publishes a favorable survey result, it would be very hard for them to justify a Roxas win. A Roxas win is to be perceived as a fraud, a manipulation.

If Roxas wins, groups will militate. If Binay loses, people will wage a people's revolt. If Poe wins, Binay's camp will surely arm themselves and militate. If Poe loses, her segment of supporters will cry fraud.

No one among these three candidates will bulge. Why? Because their financial backers are gung-ho to see their respective investments bear fruit. Behind every candidate lurks carpetbaggers who will risk billions just to get power over the people's purse.

Eventually, if not a direct and armed confrontation, this will probably result to an entendre or compromise among these elite groups just to avoid a vacuum of power.