...Kamusta na si Uncle Jun?...

Lately I have been asked this question by those who are aware that I am the nephew of Engr. Jun Lozada, a key figure in exposing the controversial NBN-ZTE scandal during the Arroyo administration. He's been making the news again recently, as cases against him have been highlighted by various media outlets. Frankly, I just know that he is safe with the religious groups who have been with him since day one.

Some years back, I took to my blog space to express a perspective from this point of view, not sugarcoated or filtered by media or editors. Those were painfully long reads, and I am grateful for everyone who had the patience to read through those. Now, I'll try another one, just to have you know what's going on with him, and at least I can point to somewhere if the question again arises.

I'd first like to clarify that they (him and his brother, who was with him in the Philippine Forest Corporation) are not running away from anything. The legal case filed against them can easily be dismissed as it is baseless and empty. They opted to be in hiding not because of the case, but because of the threat from unknown people. And besides, they have not been presented with actual legal documents calling for their arrests; the arrest warrant that the most articles over the net are saying couldn't be presented by the proper authorities when they met with Uncle Jun. It was eventually served to them though, and they posted bail for their temporary freedom until their arraignment on March 6. After that, I am not sure what's going to happen.

Here are some of my thoughts on his current predicament.


The Blind Eye

During the height of the NBN-ZTE scandal, former President Cory Aquino stood side by side with Uncle Jun whenever she was able. Even when she got sick, she constantly asked for updates and always reminded our family that we (especially Uncle Jun) were in her prayers, as she was in ours while she fought her own battle. She succumbed to hers, but through her pains, she always believed in what Uncle Jun fought for. Some time after her passing, our family stood in front of the Aquino residence to urge then Senator Noynoy to run for Presidency to continue his parents' legacy. It was our pitch, our taya, for the country. My dad remembers Noynoy saying that we're in this together, and he can't achieve change for the country alone; we needed to do our own part not just during the campaign, but even after the battle is won.

That battle was won, and yet now he stands again alone. Unaided by political friends, but always guided by the religious who we have already considered family.

This is not me begging for help for the administration or seeking unjust favors for those granted to them. If there is truth to the cases, let's have the court decide. But he knows and we know that the case is a bogus attempt to destroy Uncle Jun's credibility as witness for the NBN-ZTE case. What I don't understand is why we are even in this new battle anyway, after we put our own battle aside to help him win his battle for the hope of a more normal life for us ultimately.

Tuwid na daan? "Due process"? Am I alone in seeing the President's influence in impeaching constitutionally appointed officials in the Ombudsman and the Chief Justice? And yet here is Uncle Jun, years removed from the public eye and slowly having just gotten back to his feet, standing alone because this government seems afraid of being branded as "favoring" allies. Yes, the same government which appointed friends and dismissed political rivals is afraid of being seen as partisan. 

The Curious Armed Men

While we respect the "due process" of law, we do hope that it goes through properly. We were initially alarmed when armed men in casual clothes who claimed to be from the police tried to "arrest" Uncle Jun by looking for him at his house during the height of the "arrest warrant" issue mid last month. Later that week, when Uncle Jun sought refuge from the religious, we were informed that armed men in casual clothes again visited his house, and threatened to sue the housekeepers if they were not let in to search for him.

Armed men in casual clothes. My ninong (Uncle Jun and my dad's brother), Tito Nandy, died because of the same kind of people. He was "mistaken" for a ransom collector because of lack of information by the ISAFP; they never knew the plate number of the car, they just stopped the first one that matched the description. Armed men in casual clothes asked Tito Nandy to get down from the car he was driving, which had his daughter and his daughter's best friend in it. Naturally, they fled the scene, but because Tito Nandy was shot prior to him bolting out, they crashed at a corner, where the men exhausted their ammunition to shoot down three defenseless people who were just trying to find their way to a friend's debut. My cousin survived the incident, with Tito Nandy falling in the scene, and my cousin's best friend expiring after being in a comatose for a week. Those men were from the government. They got suspended for six months, and a slap on the wrist.

Armed men in casual clothes. If some guy in street clothes walked up to your car, told you he was a police officer and you should get down from your vehicle, would you go down? In the same light, would you go with armed men in street clothes if they say they are the police and they have an arrest warrant they can't show? What's scary is that this is happening during the administration of Noynoy. With everything that Uncle Jun knew, and with the effect he had on Gloria's ratings, of course we were afraid she might try something. We were always a bit paranoid on such little things. When Noynoy won, it felt like we have won as well. We knew his administration is at least the complete opposite of what Gloria's has been. But even during those times, his house wasn't violated as it was when men forced themselves in it. Are those Gloria's men? How could she even mobilize them if she's facing her own charges? Are those the government's men? Why can't they just present themselves officially? It's not like Uncle Jun is surrounded by bodyguards wherever he goes. Heck, he didn't even kill anyone to make him so dangerous that arresting officers should be armed with rifles.

The Irony of Sacrifice

The legal case filed against Uncle Jun, I learned, was by Erwin Santos, Uncle Jun's subordinate while he headed Philippine Forest Corporation (PFC), and is now the president of the said department. Nobody remembers, but a day after Uncle Jun was ridiculed and sympathized with after his emotional breakdown in the NBN-ZTE hearing, Erwin actually had an emotional interview with PTV 4 claiming "his conscience" pushed him to come out of the open and say that Uncle Jun is not who he says he is. He was the government's answer to Uncle Jun's emergence. However, his tears fell on the deaf ears of the millions and millions of viewers of the government-operated PTV 4.

Now, with the current administration's habit of purging government posts of Gloria's people, we found it curious that Erwin is still the president of the PFC. For the uninformed, the Philippine Forest Corporation is responsible for allocating idle lands to make it productive. It is different from the Department of Agrarian Reform, which re-allocates productive lands to people, as in the case of Hacienda Luisita. The land area of productive lands pales in comparison to that of idle lands in the Philippines. Hence, the PFC, though not as prominent, actually carries with it a huge responsibility.

Funny how things turned out; whistle blower and one of the main campaign supporters, Jun Lozada, is fighting off a bogus graft charge years after living in obscurity, while Gloria man Erwin Santos, who cried himself to anonymity, is securely making a living under the Gloria-hating administration by Noynoy.

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It just sucks that after recovering from his idle, non-earning self during the height of the NBN-ZTE saga by doing tech stuff and "modernizing" some schools by going the tablet route, he's back to seeking refuge again. My other Uncle has it bad as well, after finding something he'd love to do (selling properties as a broker; he placed 6th in the licensing exam to be a broker), his name is again dragged to this mess.

Ok lang sana kung nagkapabayaan na lang; ni hindi na hiningan ng pabor si Noynoy pagkatapos nya manalo, hindi hinanapan ng pwesto sa gobyerno nya o kaya maibalik man lang yung dating pwesto. Ang pagkapanalo noon ay ang pwede nang mabuhay ng normal dahil wala na ang takot na kumilos ang mga tao ni Gloria laban kay Uncle Jun. Pero nanahimik na nga sila, pati si Gloria hindi na nga gumagawa ng kalokohan para mapag-usapan nanaman sa balita, tapos eto nanaman? Bakit ngayon pa? Bakit di to natapos noon pa? Kung meron talagang kailangang panagutan, bakit kinailangan pa ang tatlong taon para dinggin ang kaso?

I am not ignorant of what the media says about my uncle. I have read articles, I have seen how he was painted, I have seen positive and negative comments, and those are people's opinions I respect. I post this as an opinionated nephew who blogs as a hobby, and wishes only to voice out his own opinions. I am not paid to do this, nor was I forced to write by any of my family members. While it is natural for a family member to defend him, I am not trying to defend him without cause. Heck, if he is guilty of the charges against him, we'd all just be flying around the country to our vast hectares of land. I am but fueled by the desire to have another one of those family outings where we're free to do these:

Photo taken some years back from his daughter's album

We've had some nice days over the past couple of years that he was away from the public eye. Hopefully, this predicament ends soon. 

...The "Bakit Sila" Mentality: Keeping a Third World Country Where It Is...

We hate our government.

The Philippines I grew up to, the "free" Philippines not anymore limited by the dictatorial rule of then President Ferdinand Marcos, has always been plagued by corruption. As far as we're concerned, the word "government" is so synonymous with "corruption" that no one would be surprised if they were seen in each other's entry in the thesaurus.

I have been vocal of my support for President Noynoy Aquino during his presidential campaign. After enduring 10 years of crap from the previous administration, everyone wanted positive change. We each had our views, and ultimately, the yellow campaign won. Looking at the state of the government now, it seems as if nothing has actually changed much. Corrupt and/or unqualified politicians are still voted into power and we still loathe the government because of how much tax they deduct from our salaries, only to give back so little.

Despite how loud we shout for change, though, we seem to just let tradition drag us down, then blame it all on the government. Despite our clamor for change, we continue to cultivate our traditions. It shows on the political families that dominate the local scene. And it shows on our everyday lives.

The "Bakit Sila" Mentality 

We Filipinos are creatures of imitation. From movies inspired by Western media to fashion inspired by our neighboring countries. This same drive to imitate is that which keeps us from being a developed country, but it may also serve as an inspiration to finally start change within ourselves. Let me cite some negative examples of this mentality:

On Mall/Train Lines - It's usually chaotic, going to a mall during rush hour, or lining up to get to a train station in the morning. Lines are crazy and people continually bump you to be able to get in first. People with baggage line up at the "express/no bag" lane and guards still check them and let them in. Those who see this do the same, thinking "bakit sila, pumila dun?" and do the same thing. 

On Traffic Rules - Traffic lights. Traffic signs. They're there to be followed, not merely suggest. If it says "yellow" you should slow down, "red" to stop, a sign that crosses out an inverted "U" means you can't make a u-turn on that street. Basic rules and regulations people need to know before being able to acquire a license. Yet because of people who break these rules, those who wonder "eh bakit sila, pwedeng gawin yun?" follow suit, resulting to more chaos on the roads.

Cultivating Corruption - A respected friend of mine was known to be a man of principle back in his college days. Eventually, he got a position in the government and enjoyed the perks it brought. I remember him telling me that its either you let the system eat you up, or fail in that field. The government has become a "survival of the fittest" kind of game, and newbies entering it would have that "bakit sila, ganun kumita?" line of thought, and eventually learn to play the same game the older TraPos play. 

Discipline and Change

I think genuine change still lies within ourselves. Refraining from the negative "bakit sila" mentality and turning it into a positive thought. We envy the roads of Singapore and resign to thinking that its not possible to emulate here, however, we can see traces of it in Subic. How come we can do it in Subic, but can't do it in freakin Quezon City? We shouldn't keep thinking and acting on "bakit sila, pwedeng mag-counterflow" when we should be thinking and acting on "bakit sila, maayos ang disiplina sa kalsada?". 

I do not wish to defend the government, I'm as disappointed as most Filipinos are. While it is easy to blame everything on the government, no change will come to us if we don't trust in it. So, why would we wait for positive changes in a government we can't learn to trust, when we can start change within ourselves by doing ordinary things guided by discipline and not by what others do? Rules are meant to be followed in order to avoid chaos. While breaking some of it allows temporary relief for us, it does not help our cause in aspiring to be a better country to live in.

So I say, stop ranting and start doing. If politicians can't make our country better, why can't we? 

...Presidential Cheat Sheet: These are MY Words, Part 1...

I should be excited, really, being given the chance to write for a publication such as FHM. Sure, it was for the website, but hey, my name's there, and it's a known title. (Check out Election Cheat Sheet article at www.fhm.com.ph)

But no, I'm not proud. I honsetly am not. I thank Mikey for giving me the chance to show my stuff, but I don't want to claim those words as mine. I, as a reader, wouldn't read that article as it seems like a personal blog by someone who doesn't have the credentials or credibility to write the stuff he wrote. Yes, I'm talking about me. That's why I originally cited the sources from which I gathered the information from, because I didn't just write what I think about those candidates; I read through fanpages, official websites, and discussion forums to be able to present a profile of the candidates as objectively as I possibly can.

I'll post what I wrote, so that if time comes that I get burned for having written what I wrote (as my name is there), I can direct them to these pages to show them I actually credited them (for webmasters of the sites), and I have basis on claiming what I claim to be their flaws (for supporters).

*UPDATE* Alright, so I guess having posted my unedited 2-part work helped out my being a whiny bitch writer. I got a hit back from Mikey, and frankly, I do feel proud that my name's up there in their website. I know it's pride talking as I whine about my work being edited, but it's my first time to be edited and published, so imagine the shock of it all. Anyway, that's how that works.

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(This first part in italic, I sent in late, after the article was already put up. Sa nakalimutan ko eh.=P)

After almost a decade of being under the same regime, the upcoming May 10 national election is creating a buzz among Filipinos owing to the fact that this is the first time after a long while that they will be given the chance to appoint a leader. 10 hopefuls have qualifed to be considered to hold the top national position of the country.

This article seeks to provide you some information about the candidates, so that you may be able to choose ably and wisely. We show you the ills and benefits of each candidate for your discretion, and as no one is perfect, they each do have flaws. But at the end of the day, we must choose, and make our vote count. Remember that win or lose, your vote matters, and choosing no one does not excuse you from the downfall of whoever wins. We must choose a candidate we believe that will help our country move forward. His/her loss, though, would not mean your vote was wasted, nor would it mean that the country wouldn't move forward as you envisioned it. Rather, it means that you made your voice heard, that you believe that this great country has a chance to move forward, and the next step would be to do what you can as a citizen to help our leaders realize their visions. No man or woman in the current pool of candidates will be able to effect change alone.

Don't be selfish. Choose, and be counted.
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Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III

 

Who is he: Third child and only son of two prominent political figures; Sen. Benigno “Ninoy”Aquino Jr. and former president Corazon Aquino. Essentially began his political career when he joined the Liberal Party and was elected as the representative of the second district of Tarlac in 1998. In 2007, after his third and last allowable term as representative, he ran for senate under the Genuine Opposition and placed 6^th among the top vote-getters, where the top 12 would have a seat in the senate. After his mother died in 2009, a clamor from the people rose for him to run in the upcoming 2010 elections. One of the contributing tipping points was when Sen. Mar Roxas, who was perceived to be the Liberal Party’s presidential candidate, declared his intention to slide down to vice president in favor of Noynoy’s presidential bid. After 40 days from the passing of his mother and taking a retreat, Noynoy declared his intention to run for president.

 

Notable credentials: Graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, and held several positions in private companies prior to entering politics. Currently the Vice Chairman of the Liberal Party, and also served in other capacities for the party. In three terms as a member of congress, Aquino served in numerous committees. During this time, he focused on the fiscalizing role of a legislator, as he felt that there were already too many good laws but lacked proper implementation. In his first term as senator, he has authored a number of bills and senate resolutions. You can find more information on these bills and resolutions here.

 

Presidential Platform: Aquino’s official website shows his platforms here  and his action plans here. His platforms are mainly centered on what he calls “transformational leadership”, where he proposes to exercise his executive powers in a manner that is opposite of what he perceives to be how the current president exercises hers. His main points are on economy, government service, gender equality, peace and order, and environment.

 

Campaign Thrust: Transformational leadership: a commitment to good governance and fighting corruption.

 

Why you should vote for him: Given his personal heritage, he carries a name that people respect, and to taint this good name that two icons have built up is simply inconceivable. An apple doesn’t fall off too far from its’ tree, so it is logical to conclude that “leadership by example” is going to happen if he happens to win. In a country ranked among the top 10  globally in terms of corruption, having a leader of his moral character could be a start of turning our country’s reputation and manner of governance around.

 

Why you shouldn’t vote for him: Having competitors with impressive track records, they look to point out Aquino’s lack of laws passed in his 3 terms as a congressman, and 3 years of serving as a senator. Additionally, his parents’ legacy to him is not only their good name, but also the criticisms and problems they have to deal with concerning their family property, Hacienda Luisita, and its farmers. 

 

Sources:

http://hubpages.com/hub/Short-Biography-Noynoy-Aquino

http://www.mahalo.com/noynoy-aquino

http://www.noynoy.ph/v3/index.php

http://www.senate.gov.ph/senators/sen_bio/aquino_noynoy_bio.asp

http://vimeo.com/10915516
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Juan Carlos “JC” de los Reyes

Who is he: Son of the late Sonny de los Reyes, who served as President of the Council of the Laity of the Philippines for 9 years, and Barbara Gordon, elder sister of Sen. Richard Gordon, JC hails from a political dynasty of the Gordons of Olongapo. He was educated in the Ateneo de Manila University for his primary education, De La Salle Zobel in high school, the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, U.S.A. for his Bachelor’s Degree in Theology, the University of the Philippines for his degree in Public Administration, and a Bachelor of Law in Saint Louis University in Baguio City. He is a two-term councilor, with his terms of office 10 years apart from each other, as he decided to take a hiatus from local politics after his first term to pursue further studies in the US. He returned in 2007 to emerge as the lone winner for the Ang Kapatiran party, winning his bid as City Councilor. He also taught Philosophy in the University of Asia and the Pacific, a proprietor Legobrick Systems and Designs, and Executive Director of Breaking the Yoke of Poverty Foundation. He was nominated as the Ang Kaparitan Party’s presidential candidate.

Notable Credentials: At 40, de los Reyes is the youngest presidential aspirant in the pool. He is the lone winner of Ang Kapatiran party’s 27 local and national nominees during the 2007 elections, winning with the second highest number of votes despite being absent from the local political scene for 9 years. He also has an informal project named Justice Crusade which is a free legal assistance program. As a councilor, he spoke out and campaigned against illegal drugs, rampant violations of human rights and welfare. He also led protests against the proposed coal power plant and was at the forefront of criticizing the government for its proposed construction of casinos in Subic.

Presidential Platform: De los Reyes’ presents a platform anchored on a moral government and upholding his party’s vision of a new kind of politics in the country, breaking away from traditional politics. He proposes a Spiritual dimension to ground his government according to God’s righteousness, a Moral dimension which seeks to build a nation of characterthrough values formation, a Social dimension promoting the culture of life, peace and active non-violence, and a Multidimensional approach to peace and order. He also presents his plans of action regarding good governance, economic development, the political culture, and foreign policy. For a more detailed discussion of his platforms, click here.

 

Campaign Thrust: Advancing “principled politics” and radical change in the government.

 

Why you should vote for him: His solid Roman Catholic and Christian background puts his good moral character beyond doubt. Together with his party, they are united and dedicated to presenting a break from traditional politics, and offer one that with a moral, God-fearing foundation.

 

Why you shouldn’t vote for him: If only through the saying “with age comes wisdom”, we may say that de los Reyes is the least qualified in terms of this. Despite being a two-term councilor in Olongapo, he faces criticism regarding his actual support, with some family members claiming that he won his second term as councilor because he was a Gordon. Additionally, this jump from being a councilor to being a president may seem like an ambitious move by a relative unknown, considering he doesn’t have much to say about his experience in public service.

Sources:
http://www.angkapatiranparty.com/Candidates%20Profiles/jc.html
http://ph.politicalarena.com/john-carlos-de-los-reyes/news/kapatiran-s-jc-de-los-reyes-files-coc-for-presidency-2

http://www.eleksyon.co.cc/jc-de-los-reyes-profile/
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philippineselections.com%2Fpresidentiables-2010%2Fwill-you-vote-for-john-carlos-jc-de-los-reyes-for-president.php&h=d6eb2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Carlos_de_los_Reyes

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/11/24/09/gordon-president-its-not-dick

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Joseph Marcelo “Erap” Ejercito-Estrada

 

Who is he: Born Joseph Marcelo Ejercito, this man popularly known as “Erap” entered public consciousness as an actor, taking on the screen name Erap Estrada. He starred in more than a hundred movies portraying a champion of the poor. In 1967, he tried but failed in his bid for mayor in the municipality of San Juan, but was proclaimed mayor in 1969 after protesting the results. He served ably as the mayor until 1986, when then-proclaimed president Corazon Aquino replaced him with an officer-in-charge. Erap then proceeded to run for senate, and placed 16^th of 24 winners. In 1992, he ran for vice president under the National People’s Coalition, where the party’s president, Eduardo Conjuanco lost his bid to Fidel Ramos, while Erap was able to assume vice presidency. In the 1998 presidential elections, Fidel Ramos endorsed House Speaker Jose De Venecia over Erap’s own bid. Despite the administration’s effort to discredit Estrada, Erap still won by an overwhelming margin, in fact, the largest in a free election held in the country. Late in 2000, however, he was faced with controversies and was subjected to an impeachment trial. The said trial culminated on what we know now as EDSA 2, and on January 20, 2001, then-Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ascended into presidency. On September 2007, Erap was convicted of plunder and was sentenced to a maximum 40 years in prison. However, he was pardoned with full civil rights the following month. In 2009, he expressed his desire to regain his lost position and to continue what he had started.

 

Notable credentials: As San Juan mayor, Estrada developed the then-municipality’s infrastructure to new heights. He improved and renovated school buildings, constructed additional school structures, barangay halls, and playgrounds in all barangays, as well as concreting 98 percent of San Juan’s roads and alleys. He founded the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation (MOWELFUND) that benefits people who work in the industry from producers down to crewmen. He founded Erap Para sa Mahirap Foundation, which offers scholarships to poor but deserving students. As a Senator, he was credited for a number of legislations, among these, the bills on irrigation project and the protection and propagation of carabaos, the beast of burden in the rural areas. He also voted to terminate the RP-US  Military Bases Agreement. As Vice President, he served as Chirman of the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission (PACC) which was instrumental in keeping the peace and order by eliminating various kidnapping and robbery groups. As President, he pushed his pro-poor platforms, and most notably ordered the removal of all sovereign guarantees on contracts for public contracts, which requires that the sovereign people assume the financial responsibility of the losses of private companies doing business with the government. In his whole term of office, he never once signed a single government contract with a sovereign guarantee.

 

Presidential Platform: Estrada’s platform is essentially grounded on pro-poor programs, as well as peace and order, two main thrusts that he has been known to do well, and now, he also stresses the need for transparency and accountability. For a more detailed view of his platforms, click here. He addresses the economy’s revival, eliminating insurgent movements, alleviating hunger and poverty through budget prioritization and strengthening the agricultural industry, ending graft and corruption through transparency and accountability, balancing the budget and gaining investor confidence through peace and order and good governance, education, generation of jobs and prevention of workers‘ exodus, infrastructure, the power crisis, and strengthening foreign relations.

 

Campaign Thrust: A truly pro-poor government.

 

Why you should vote for him: He has a proven track record in governance, and his programs directed at the poor continue to appeal to the masses. This appeal is not simply blind admiration for the former actor, but rather an appeal brought about by actual benefits they reap from the programs by Erap. His determination that he has learned his lesson could also be a plus factor for him, considering he had a relatively good performance as president, save for controversies regarding friends, gambling, and drinking, among other things.

 

Why you shouldn’t vote for him: In his inaugural speech as president, he said “walang kai-kaibigan, walang kama-kamag-anak” (“no friends, no family”) in terms of giving favors. That was quickly busted, as he gave friends favors upon assuming presidency, which also eventually contributed to his downfall. He carries that burden of being the first president to be ousted from power. He doesn’t hold exceptional educational degrees, as he chose to drop out of school in his early days to pursue his acting career.

 

Sources:

http://erap.ph/409/

http://www.eleksyon.co.cc/joseph-estrada/

http://www.biography.com/articles/Joseph-Estrada-39942

http://erap.ph/409/about-erap/

http://erap.ph/409/organizations/erap-para-sa-mahirap/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEQkxXTVsrw&feature=youtube_gdata

http://www.malayanghalalan.com/2010/02/28/joseph-erap-estrada-being-bribed-to-back-out-of-2010-presidential-race/

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Richard “Dick” Gordon

 

Who is he: Fondly known as “Dick”, Gordon comes from a well known political family in Olongapo. He earned his Bechelor of Arts, Major in History and Government in Ateneo de Manila University, and completed his studies for Barchelor of Laws in the University of the Philippines. He worked as a brand manager for Proctor & Gamble from 1966-67, and was part of the Constitutional Convention of 1971. He served as Mayor of Olongapo City, and was instrumental in improving city from a perceived “sin city” into a “model city”. In 1993, he relinquished his post as Mayor of Olongapo, after winning by landslide in 1992, in order to serve full time as Chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. During this period, he brought billions in investments and created more than 100,000 jobs. World leaders who attended the 4^th APEC Leaders’ Summit were impressed at the results Gordon has brought to Subic Bay. He was appointed as Secretary for the Department of Tourism in 2001, and brought Philippine tourism to new heights with his “Wow! Philippines” program. In 2004, he ran for senate and won with the fifth highest number of votes. As a senator, he is credited for the passing of the Automated Elections Law. Late in 2009, former MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando and Gordon talked and agreed to form a tandem, where Bayani decided to hold off his plans on running for president and run as vice president for Gordon’s presidential bid. They dubbed their team as “the transformers”.

 

Notable Credentials: Youngest member of the 1971 Constitutional Assembly. Instrumental in developing Subic Bay into a model city for peace and order. Is currently the chairman of the Philippine Red Cross, where he has been an active member since 1986, and where his leadership has guided the . “WOW! Philippines” Program for the Department of Tourism was one of the most successful campaigns to raise the Philippine Tourism industry, doing so even under trying times of terrorism scares and disease outbreaks. As a two-term senator, he acts as chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee and Government Corporations and Public Enterprises Committee, was appointed vice chair of the Ethics and Privileges Committee, Finance Committee, and the National Defense and Security Committee, as well as a member of 23 other Senate committees. For more details on his achievements, click here.

 

Presidential Platform: Gordon’s platform revolves around his vision of a “new” Philippines, grounded on people empowerment and effective leadership. He presents a 10-point Manifesto for Change in his official website, discussing his vision of how the Philippines will work toward development. He says in order for change to effectively come, Filipinos must take responsibility for our country, reinvent the government, fortify law and order, build a strong and growing economy, prioritize education, provide adequate health care, create jobs, assist in securing homes and lands for the people, strengthen and reinforce the family as the major foundation of our nation, and protect and preserve the environment.

 

Campaign Thrust: To “transform the minds and hearts of Filipinos to build character and community for a better Philippines.”

 

Why you should vote for him: His experience in the local government speaks for itself. What Gordon started with the Subic Bay Freeport continues to be a model for peace and order, while his Wow! Philippines campaign boosted local tourism to unimaginable heights. His active membership and actions with the Philippine National Red Cross are admirable to say the least. He is a proven leader who takes pride in the actions he has taken. And because he is arrogant, as one person points out here.  

 

Why you shouldn’t vote for him: Despite a proven track record on action, Gordon faces tough criticism as an “all-talk” guy, most notably as head of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, as the controversies that allegedly involved the president did not seem to gain closure. The Gordons are also a known political dynasty in the City of Olongapo, which could help Gordon’s case in the sense that they have the political pedigree of leaders, but at the same time, damage him, in the sense that political dynasties are constitutionally prohibited. At the aftermath of the Ondoy typhoons, news also circulated about his handling of the PNRC’s handing out of calamity assistance goods, where the organizers allegedly held out handing out the goods until Gordon’s (failed) arrival, insinuating to the public that Gordon wants his good deeds to be properly documented and publicized.

 

Sources:

http://www.dickgordon2010.com/about.php

http://www.senate.gov.ph/senators/sen_bio/gordon_bio.asp

http://www.istorya.net/forums/politics-and-current-events/246010-richard-gordon-and-bayani-fernand-for-2010-a.html

http://www.eleksyon.co.cc/richard-dick-gordons-platform/

http://www.iamburaot.com/2010/03/non-conforming-with-dick-gordon/

http://www.juancountry.com/senator-dick-gordon-under-fire-on-facebook/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkukfC9u1tI