Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:29:00 10/18/2009
Filed Under: Inquirer Politics, Eleksyon 2010, Chiz Escudero, Pepeng, Ondoy, Flood, Landslide, Disasters (general)
It has been nine days since Oct. 10, when Sen. Chiz Escudero turned 40 and thus eligible to be president of the Philippines.He had promised to officially announce his presidential candidacy on that day, but the day came and went and no announcement. The date for the formal announcement has been postponed to Oct. 12, they said. That day came and still no announcement. The new rumor is that he would do it on Monday.
Why the delay when his rivals are already all over the place campaigning although that is still prohibited at this time by election laws? Has he changed his mind? Was he dismayed by the drop in his ratings in the latest survey when he had been leading in most of the earlier surveys? Has he not yet reached an agreement with Sen. Loren Legarda? Did the latest propaganda ploy of the Lakas-Kampi party with the governors wanting to pirate Legarda of the Nationalist People’s Coalition as the running mate of its Gibo Teodoro have its desired effect on Chiz? Is he now wavering?
As I see it, this is a red herring pure and simple. Why would Loren, who’s already assured of at least the vice presidential nomination in her own party, and possibly the top spot, agree to be the VP candidate of another party with a presidential candidate very low in the survey rankings? And Loren, topnotcher in two senatorial elections as an opposition candidate, has said she would never run as an administration candidate. She would always be an opposition candidate, she said. Obviously, Lakas-Kampi wants the support of Danding Cojuangco and his party and billions. But the NPC boss has been disappointed by the less-than-grateful attitude of his nephew Gibo Teodoro and his stateside wife, and has already stated that he would back his party’s candidates, not Gibo or another nephew, Noynoy Aquino.
Anyway, the answer to Chiz’s delayed announcement of his candidacy is none of those cited above. According to his aides whom I asked, the reason is that Chiz has a bigger social conscience than his rivals. He doesn’t want to be politicking while many of his countrymen are still suffering from the devastation wrought by storms “Ondoy” and “Pepeng.” In fact, with a third typhoon, “Ramil,” about to hit Northern and Central Luzon again Monday or Tuesday, Chiz may again delay the announcement of his presidential candidacy.
The recent crises have shown the true colors of our politicians—especially the “presidentiables,” say Chiz’s aides. “Opportunism has been the order of the day,” they said, “but Chiz is not an opportunist.” Even while many of our countrymen were waist-deep in the floods, politicians were using the twin disasters to project themselves, they said. Not Chiz.
Although Chiz had his own relief efforts, he chose to downplay his aid program and take a low profile so as not to take advantage of the disasters and their victims. (This is not me talking but his aides, who naturally see things with Chiz-colored glasses.) Chiz, these aides say, feel that politics should take a back seat to the present calamities and has scuttled all talk about his formal declaration to run. Hmmm.
Contrary to speculation, Chiz is resolved more than ever to run for president after personally witnessing the government’s inadequacy to help the people during calamities and he has called on all sectors to pitch in and help the nation survive the crises. He saw the helplessness of the government and the people and this has convinced him that new approaches are needed to solve the problems because the old methods will no longer suffice. (Don’t forget, I am quoting Chiz’s aides.)
More definite than his rivals in the courses of action to take, Chiz proposed the following:
1. The youth, especially those in the unaffected areas, to volunteer in relief and rehabilitation efforts.
2. Flood victims to be employed in rehab projects to provide them with livelihood to support their families.
3. Farmers who lost their crops to the floods to be provided with assistance so they can plant new crops.
4. Tax and debt amnesty be extended to flood victims.
5. Big landowners to donate land for relocation of those displaced by the floods.
6. Big business to invest and build factories and set up businesses in relocation sites to provide employment to the victims.
7. Establish permanent relocation centers so that students do not lose the use of their schools every time there is a disaster.
8. Send the engineering battalions of the Armed Forces to affected areas to speed up the rehabilitation of roads, bridges, schools and other infrastructure projects.
* * *
Chiz also proposed that the Department of Education grant students credit for this semester or grading period as a response to classes lost due to the two typhoons that ravaged the country. Critics immediately pounced upon and distorted the proposal, calling it the grant of “calamity diplomas.” Unfair, say Chiz’s aides, and explained in detail Chiz’s proposal, to wit:
1. The granting of passing grades will apply only to students in areas devastated by Ondoy and Pepeng.
2. Regions 1, 2, 3, 4 and CAR and parts of NCR remain under a state of calamity.
3. The proposal won’t be for the entire school year but only for the current semester or grading period. There was never any mention of mass acceleration or promotion.
4. Teachers, too, were affected by the floods.
5. Many of the schools continue to be used by evacuees.
6. Many of them are still mired in mud and floodwaters.
7. Many of the major roads in the calamity areas remain impassable.
Source: http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20091018-230798/Why-Chiz-has-not-yet-made-an-announcement
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