WE should do better than to have an election that represents a choice of Joseph Estrada or Gloria Arroyo.

Estrada may be incarcerated, he may be guilty or not, but he is still a multimillionaire with powerful backers. Perhaps, ultimately he will be exonerated; after all, his judges are just human. He has many wives, and he had two senators in his pocket. And it seems there is no more debate that he really helped himself to the country’s coffers.

And Arroyo? Poor Gloria! I don’t know how history will judge her. It is possible that she had really wanted to do good for our people, but somehow along the way things happened that were not of her doing. Look at her husband and at what he and then-undersecretary of agriculture Jocelyn Bolante did to ensure that she would be elected in 2004.

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TO FURTHER enhance our online coverage of the upcoming Philippine elections in May, we’ve beefed up our Eleksyon 2007 site by adding a Google Earth map and a survey section.

The Eleksyon 2007 Google Earth map allows you to click on any marker on the Philippine map to see the number of voters per province, broken down by municipality and city. The figures are as of the 2004 elections.

Meanwhile, the Survey Says section offers comparative charts based on the Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia surveys to allow readers to keep track of the survey rankings of candidates over the course of the campaign.

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PAULIT-ULIT ang kasaysayan. Tuwing halalan maririnig ang mga pangako at pagbabago. May natupad ba sa mga pangako? May nagbago sa sistema? Sa tingin ko lahat ng nasa pwesto lalamunin din ng sistema. Eleksyon nga ba ang sagot sa mga problema?

ONE of the most popular blogs covering the upcoming Philippine elections is Philippine Eleksyon 2007.

Here’s an excerpt from the latest blog entry:

Full Report of CMFR

Below is the full report from CMFR - CMFR MONITOR OF NEWS MEDIA COVERAGE - OF THE 2007 NATIONAL ELECTIONS

First Report (February 13 - March 2)

TV, broadsheets covered TU most in first three weeks of campaign

The media advocacy group Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) has found that the six leading television news programs and the three largest Manila broadsheets covered the Arroyo administration’s Team Unity (TU) candidates most in the first three weeks of the campaign. CMFR is monitoring the 2007 elections coverage of selected media organizations.

I THOUGHT I’d support Alan Peter Cayetano’s senatorial bid. But, after hearing that he would vote for abolishing the Senate), I’d say the people should not waste their votes on him.

We need an even stronger Senate, and the least we could have are senators who believe in having two houses of Congress. It is bad enough that the House of Representatives sold us for the price of their pork barrel. Now, the last thing we need is a Senate with members who do not believe in the importance of its role in the checks and balances that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has weakened.

Let’s have senators who will serve our people and our Constitution well, not senators who see only the political title and power that come with an elected position.

As Cayetano has shown his real political color, I am hoping that the Genuine Opposition (GO) will drop him from its senatorial slate.

The senatorial race is beyond fighting Arroyo and the First Gentleman, although that is a collateral benefit and a necessary and almost inevitable result of going for GO.

– AURORA RIEL, 503 E High Street, Murfreesboro, North Carolina (via e-mail)

I WOULD like to propose a debate between Representative Darlene Antonino-Custodio and Manny Pacquiao on all issues: ranging from the economy to issues regarding overseas Filipino workers, etc.

And then they could talk to the people of General Santos City about their own platforms.

To run for office without direction “ay parang manok na pinugutan ng ulo (is like being a decapitated chicken).”

– DANTE FARAGAS, San Jose, California (via e-mail)

THEY say the youth (ages 13 to 35 years) is the hope of our nation, and it is believed that we comprise 40 percent of the population. Hence, it is imperative that we should take a stand on matters that concern our society.

Let me share my opinions, and maybe also share the sentiments of my fellow youths. Let me point out to both the administration and opposition, and even to the Filipino people at large, that the youth is not ignorant and passive about the issues confronting us every day (i.e., Charter change, political repression, even specific issues of the broad masses, such as genuine land reform and an increase in daily wages, etc.)

However, the administration and the opposition fail to see us and hear from us. Most of their platforms and agenda are outdated and very archaic to the ears of the electoral body.

They keep on promising a lot, but what do we get once they are in position? President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo failed to fulfill her responsibility after she was put in position by EDSA People Power II. Where is her promise to give priority to education and lift its quality now that the premier state university is facing a 300-percent tuition rate increase?

Shame on Arroyo for protecting the asses of Raul Gonzalez et al. after they pose terrorist threats inside campuses!

Let us also not forget the deaths of three student leaders from a progressive youth organization, the League of Filipino Students, in just one year.

The Arroyo administration continues to promote globalization and liberalization of our economy, while scheming to change the Constitution in a way that will risk all Philippine natural resources to foreign exploitation and ownership.

Hence, let it be known to the Filipino people that a vote for the TEAM Unity ticket of the administration is also a vote promoting all these anti-people acts of the government.

A word of warning to the opposition: Traditional politics is causing you to lose the people’s primarily trust.

If the oppositionists’ reason for running for election is their gripes against the present administration, then they are abusing democracy and destroying its sanctity.

Maybe that is why I always believe in the reforms of the genuine political and economic agenda of the progressive party-list groups (i.e., Kabataan party, Suara Bangsamoro, and others).

I believe that the Philippines will progress amidst all these political crises only if the tyrannical Arroyo government will be overtaken by the toiling masses and the Filipino people. Long live the people’s democratic mass movement!

– LEAN PORQUIA, University of the Philippines in the Visayas (via e-mail)

I WAS shocked and aghast at Batangas Governor Armand Sanchez’s comment that it would take Vilma Santos-Recto three hours to apply makeup before being able to face people.

I am a married man, and I think such a comment before his loyalists and constituents was an insult to womanhood. I couldn’t believe I was hearing a politician say that in this 21st century, when there are successful women politicians all over the world. How politically incorrect!

Obviously, Sanchez needs better education, and obviously he needs to apologize to Ms Santos-Recto and to everybody. Such a blow below the belt, against a woman at that, has no place in our civilized society.

– STANLEY OLIVAR, 1511 Maxwell Lane, Vista, California, (via e-mail)

I WAS rather impressed by Tito Sotto’s interview. He expressed himself clearly and addressed the questions directly. I found myself actually agreeing with most of what he said.

I had no idea about his political pedigree: two grandfathers were former senators! I just knew him as a local comedian.

Kudos to INQUIRER.net for coming out with this series of podcasts, and ridding me of my personal biases! More power!

– MARINA VILLANUEVA, 82 United Nations St., Parañaque City, Philippines (via e-mail)

FOR Michael Defensor: Here in New Zealand, we are very proud about you, mate. You did a very good job the previous year, and you have very firm principles.

I hope most of the Filipinos in the Philippines will support you.

Mike, we pray for you to win in the coming elections.

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