Senatorial survey
I DON’T consider as surprising the result of the recent Pulse Asia survey on the May 2019 senatorial elections. Reelectionist senators and former senators will always have an advantage over the new bets because of nationwide name recall. To win in a senatorial race, you need to be known nationally first. That’s when the focus would become easier, which is to land in the
Magic Circle of 12.
The Pulse Asia survey, done in December but only released this month, has reelectionist Sen. Grace Poe leading the pack, which again is not surprising because not only is she already in the Senate, she ran for president in the 2016 elections and made good account of herself. Another 2016 presidential election loser, Mar Roxas, is not in the top 12 but has a “statistical chance of winning.”
Which, again, is not surprising because Roxas got out of the limelight after the loss in 2016 and only recently announced his intention to run for the Senate. It will only take a little prompting before his stock will rise again, the verbal assault online by diehard Duterte supporters (DDS) notwithstanding. There are 12 slots to go around and the number of diehard Roxas voters can make him senator again.
By the way, there is a Cebuano in the top 12: former senator Sergio “Serge” Osmeña III. He leads the group of former senators who are in the potential winning circle that includes former jail occupants Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada. Their other jail partner, former senator Juan Ponce Enrile, still has some making up to do because he is ranked 17th to 18th.
Among the relatively new faces, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito and former Philippine National Chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa are in the probable winning circle, which again is not surprising because one is a “Marcos” and the other one is an “Ejercito.”
By the way, Imee visited the Sunstar office weeks ago and she was the image of simplicity and innocence. Seeing her that way makes you momentarily forget the past. I have yet to see Bato in person but while I will not vote for him because I don’t want a DDS to be in the Senate, I like the man’s personality. He is more likeable than Bong Go.
By the way, President Duterte’s man Christopher “Bong” Go is out of the top 12 despite his early politicking efforts. I admire the diligence of local Bong Go campaigners because they don’t let any issue to ride on pass by. In every calamity, Bong Go or his campaigners are there to show sympathy. An example: the fire in Barangay Duljo-fatima in Cebu City. Instead of becoming likeable like dela Rosa, Bong Go seems obnoxious.
Frankly, I am not that worried with the recent Pulse Asia survey result although things are still bound to change in the coming months. As I said earlier, I don’t want a DDS to win because the relative independence of the Senate needs to be maintained so that the worst schemes of the administration, like the federalism served a-la Gloria Arroyo, to pass in the Senate. And no DDS, except for very few with questionable independence, are in the top 12.
Losing the Senate to the DDS would be tragic./ Sunstar Cebu