Senatoriables in Davao

Three senatoriables for 2019 came to Davao City this week. Although the election campaign will be on next year, senatorial aspirants can still make their way to places to start an initial feel and talk with locals on their candidacies.

Two of these senatoriables are from the administration slate and they arrived at a national gathering of 200 youth leaders hosted by the government’s National Youth Commission. What is notable here are the reactions of the young students and leaders.

These young parliamentarians narrated on their Facebook accounts how uncomfortable they felt on the arrival of such candidates. Their session was interrupted by the loud blare of the candidate’s jingle and they were forced for a photo-op with the matching Duterte fist.

The reactions did not end there, the NYP passed a resolution reminding that condemns “the unwarranted and unwelcomed electioneering of two senatorial aspirants,” as they said the NYP should be a neutral venue.

This early on, candidates try to make a mark and woo the public. There are lessons here on how to arry themselves in events without backfiring from their intention.

Meanwhile, the third candidate Atty. Neri Colmenares from the Makabayan bloc, quietly made his way into the city. Colmenares has been a Bayan Muna representative for three terms and ran for the Senate in the 2016 elections.

He attended back-to-back forums, one with the Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines held in Ateneo de Davao where he was a resource person on federalism, and another was a forum with allies of the Makabayan bloc to discuss prospects of the progressive movement’s new politics in 2019.

In his second forum which I attended, Colmenares talked of many issues but zeroed in on how the new politics’ agenda is met by the ambitions of traditional politics.

Dynasties have made the partylist system into their option B to extend their political careers. Another issue is charter change pushed by House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo might derail elections as it proposes no term limits and suits the interests of political dynasties.

Where then does new politics fit in? Colmenares exudes confidence that the Makabayan will draw the same support from the public as shown in the past elections. The Makabayan bloc in Congress, notwithstanding all the black propaganda, has passed laws and bills batting for meaningful reforms from raising salaries of teachers, health workers to

economic reforms from land reform to national industrialization.

Colmenares said it is imperative that people should vote for candidates with platforms and agenda for change. He said this is more so for the Senate, which needs people who would complement the Makabayan’s agenda, and serve as check and balance to the executive branch.

This early on, senatorial aspirants come uninvited or come with warm welcome. As voters, whom do we invite to the Senate in 2019?