Who’s your choice for Philippine president on May 10?

[Joe Carillo]

What’s in your mind about the presidential and vice presidential candidates?

It’s now less than a month before the Philippine national elections, so it’s understandable that you and other Forum members may want some leeway in the Forum to discuss your respective choices among the presidential and vice presidential candidates. The Lounge section in the Forum is therefore opening a window of opportunity for you to do so for the rest of the official campaign period.

In keeping with the nonpolitical and nonpartisan nature of the Forum, however, please confine your commentary within the bounds of thoughtful, intelligent, and civilized discourse at all times—and in proper English, please. You may endorse your chosen candidate and justify your choice either by making a new posting of your own or by replying to a post. 

Please limit your posting to a maximum of 400 words each time. And always keep in mind that absolutely no invectives, name-calling, and below-the-belt partisan propaganda and advertising will be allowed in the discussion board; postings containing any of these will be removed outright by the Webmaster without notice to those who posted them.

Share with Forum members now what’s in your mind about the presidential and vice presidential candidates—before it’s too late for your opinion to matter!

[hill roberts]

The national elections are nearing. ..and yes, I have actually voted! Yes, a couple of days ago I went to our local post office to post my overseas absentee ballot, "Certificado" or Registered Air Mail of course. After three decades, I was able to exercise my right of sovereignty. I re-acquired my Philippine citizenship seven years ago and this time, I made sure I voted. My candidates were Messrs Richard Gordon and Bayani Fernando. These two gentlemen received my vote for two reasons: they have a good track record and yes, people can see what they have actually achieved. I also included Bongbong Marcos in my list of Senators. I like this guy. He has worked quietly to make his province more prosperous without the noise which we normally attribute to boastful congressmen/women and senators. I'd consider the elections the most important in fifty years so I hope people vote for the right candidates, and not because they were told they have to/they need to. It is the laziness of citizens  to learn more about their candidates that could make or break our country's future in the next six years.  ::)I wish our country all the best. May all the constituents be sensible and responsible. Please go out and vote! Thank you.

[hill roberts]

Correction. I re-acquired my citizenship in 2005. My husband and I flew to Madrid for that main reason. I was desperate to hold on to my Philippine citizenship(which was cruelly taken away from me) and John thought it would be a good idea to hold dual citizenship. I am glad he convinced me since I am  now able to vote, once again, after more than three decades of being treated like a foreigner. Whatever people say about this current administration, I am thankful that President Arroyo made it a law for all those Filipino living abroad to be Filipinos again. :)I hope the incoming administration wouldn't tinker with the idea of changing the law again. Didn't Mrs Aquino also made Pilipino the medium of instruction? Precisely why those born in the 80's have some difficulty with the English language? Perhaps, someone could confirm it. I am also pleased that Mrs Arroyo has promoted the Spanish language in the Philippines. It is the right thing to do. It's good to have language skills and to be multi-lingual in the 21st century is surely a plus in anyone's book.

[hill roberts]

Oops...
It should have read: "...Didn't Mrs Aquino also make..." 

Sorry, there are times when proofreading becomes tedious for ancient people like me. Apologies.

[hill roberts]

The Philippines is now counting the hours to the national elections. Hurray! After all the scares, the rumours, the tactics, the campaigns, the lies, the lambastic assumptions and insults, mud-slinging and suspicion, the country will once again, vote for their president, vice president, senators, congressmen, mayors and heaven knows who else. I myself have recently voted and I haven't questioned my wisdom whether or not I had voted for the right candidates. One thing is certain, whoever wins will have his hands full. A mountain of problems to look into, and the usual dilly-dally attitude which is an embedding virtue and quality in many Filipinos. Time-wasting is something acceptable as well as the easy-does-it attitude.  :D The casual approach to life,in general, is making it even more frustrating. It seems, even with brains equipped with good education, know-how, knowledge, wit and intelligence,it would be hard-pressed to put them all together to make hot vegetable soup, let alone with "baka" in mind--nope, not the vaca or cow, but the "baka", baka mahuli, eh." Still, we are in for a change: ugly or not, the people will eventually face the ugliest would-be president if he won, considering that this man has already considered and declared himself outright winner. or else, or else, or else, he threatens. Gosh, he dares and  :-threatens to call for People Power 3 or is it 4, just can't recall this franchise anymore, which begs the question, who owns the franchise of People Power 1 & 2? If my memory serves me right, the Aquinos claim to be the rightful owners of this double P. Hmm. Who am I to take it away from this elite family? The mere fact is, many voters from the B, C category, whatever that means, are now thinking of not voting for this NONO. Aw, just wishful thinking if I, too, have a right to the double PP...you know, when somebody needs  CR, to attend to double P--I am being very simple here for NoNo to understand what THAT means...