In attention bigla ang lahat- sa totoo lang, ha, usap- usapan maraming araw na ngayon ang results ng latest Pulse Asia Trust Rating among Presidential and Vice- Presidentials bets for the May, 2010 Philippine elections.

Villar came out on top FIRST TIME EVER with 70% as against Noynoy’s 64% trust rating. Erap hit a 33% trust grade and was closely followed by Gibo with 32%.

Of course, overjoyed ang Villar camp with the news. The survey kasi came at the time when he was being lambasted for the ‘mysterious’ C-5 controversy where he was accused by colleagues at the Senate no less, for having used his position to the advantage of his private real estate holdings(kalagitnaan ng January). Something that Villar continues to deny to this day. He has even suggested that a case be filed against him with the Ombudsman where he can have the proper forum to defend himself.

Noynoy, in a televised reaction shrugged off news of this development with the comment  ‘of course, pakana lang siguro ito ng kalaban to influence the minds of voters.’ In fairness, some surveys still identify him as the leading bet and many civilian groups are realigning to strengthen Noynoy’s hold to Number 1 till May, 2010.

May kalakasan ang credibility ng survey na ito ng Pulse Asia as it is non- commissioned. Walang nagpagawang private individual or group na pwedeng mapaghinalaang bumulong ng alam n’yo na at magdikta kung ano ang DAPAT na maging resulta. Ang interview ay ‘face to face’, ‘eyeball to eyeball’ ika nga,of a total of 1, 800 respondents, all of voting age, and coming from various sectors of society.

Take note please that this survey is a TRUST SURVEY- different from other surveys that seek to identify specific bets that respondents wish to vote for. PERO , kay ordinaryong Juan, ganun na rin daw yun. Syempre ang pinakapinagkakatiwalaan nya ang kanyang iboboto

TRUST- ano nga ba ito para sa ordinaryong Pinoy ngayon? Sa kanyang patuloy na kahirapan sa buhay, paano kaya siya pipili ng pagkakatiwalaan?

Mula sa aking paggagaygay sa kahabaan ng Ylaya, Tabora at Sto Cristo sa Diviso-ria, albeit ‘slowed down’ na nga ngayon to follow my doctor’s advise not to tire myself too much, sa pakikipagchikahan sa mga ka- neighbors dito samen sa Ba- rangay Kaunlaran sa Cubao, at paggala sa Farmers’ at Agora sa San Juan, bayan ni Erap (groceries, wet market, bangko, Bayad Center, etc), people seem to make their judgment according to what they see or hear from media.

Natural naman yata na these will be their main vehicle in knowing the candidates. 99.995% siguro has had no or will never have the chance to meet any of them, especially the national candidates…well, except perhaps during the miting de avanzes and campaign rallies that these candidates will be able to organize and hold within the 7, 100 islands idagdag mo pa yung areas ng absentee voters- Hongkong, Saudi, etc.

So, ano daw ang dating (so far) ng ating mga kandidato pag nakikita sa tv or naririnig sa radio?

Kay Noynoy, ganda ng dating noong una pagnauungkat nya ang magagandang ala- ala ng mga magulang nyang si Ninoy and Cory. Nangangako syang ipagpapatuloy nya ang laban nila (at laban ng Pinoy). Bongga rin ang ad na kasama nya ang pagkarami- raming sikat na artista na may props pang mga sulo. Dami talaga ng endorsers ni Noynoy.

Vibrant and at the prime of his productive life- yan daw si Noynoy. May lakas and daring to lead the Pinoy to great heights. Ganda pa ng pedigree.  Kaya lang…kaya lang…

Kulang daw sa experience. Very vague and indirect daw ang mga sagot nya sa mga forum na nasalihan nya. Tulad daw nung isang forum where local government units were asking about LGU concerns. Considering that he was chairman of the Local Governments Committee at the Senate, wala naman daw syang naibigay na definitive answers to questions on how local government autonomy can be enhanced. ’I am in the process of studying that…’- yan daw ang malimit na sagot ni Noynoy sa mga issues na hindi sya handang magbigay ng sariling opinion.

On the other side naman is Manny Villar. In his ads naman, porke wala naman syang maipagyayabang na mga bayaning magulang ( but take note please- marami would consider Villar’s parents as real heroes for having moved heaven and earth to nurture fine children), he capitalizes on having come from a poor community from Tondo and rising up through sheer determination-nagtinda sa palengke para makapag- aral, etc etc.

May dating ang kanyang opening salvo sa mahihirap which comprise a very big percentage of our voting population.Remember ng mga senior readers the ‘Poor Boy from Lubao’? Cong Dadong became President using that monicker.

Onscreen in his tv ads, Villar comes out to recite his own testimonial in a very conversational, soft ang dating voice- ‘Naranasan nyo na ba ang mamatayan ng kapatid dahil wala kayong pambili ng gamot? Naranasan ko na yan’. He does not promise- he simply states ‘Naging panata ko na ang tumulong sa mahirap’.

In the simplicity of the words written in his ad copy, in the humility that his face and tone of voice exude, malamang marami- rami ang mapapa- emote sa kanya.

Kaya lang…kaya lang…Sagutin naman daw nya, magalit at mag- alsa boses naman daw sya sa mga taong walang tigil ng kababatikos sa kanya at sa dami ng campaign fund nya. Yung iba kasi, nagdududa pa rin when they are not assured that the accusations are simply made up.

Endorsements, testimonials, bandwagon- kadaming vehicles of media na pwedeng ma- utilize to influence and get the voters’ nod.

It’s about 60 days before Philippine election day. Marami- rami pang mangyayari that can help decide a voter’s choice. I can picture in my mind ang mga umiikot sa mga kautakan ng mga media handlers ng ating mga kandidato  - si Rod T. Reyes, boss namin  ni Tenny Soriano sa Channel 4 noon for the Villar camp; Ramy Diez, boss ko in Channel 4 nung panahon ni Pres. Ramos for Noynoy Aquino’s camp, and Jerra Sison, aming ka- officemate sa Channel 4 and son of the venerable late Press Sec. Jess Sison for Gibo Teodoro. Itotodo ng tatlong ito pati na the rest of the other candidates’ media handlers, ang kanilang galing at reputasyon sa pagpapanalo ng kani- kanilang mga manok.

And they know that there is no FORMULA that will insure SUCCESS in any media campaign.

Depende lang talaga sa dating at reaction sa ating reading, watching, and observing public.Hindi na sila ang voting public na tulad noong mga nakaraan- makakita lang ng artista, maabutan lang ng sangkilong NFA rice, ayos na. Tumaas- taas naman na ang pamantayan ng ating mga voters.

Panahon na talaga, ano?