Philippine Presidential Election May 09. 2022

[Logan]

Duterte and Marcos children join forces in Philippines Election


Two political dynasties in the Philippines seem to have formed an alliance, as President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter is running for vice president on the same ticket as deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos’s son Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Rumors of a partnership between the 2 famous (or some consider infamous) political families have been swirling around for weeks and been the subject of great speculation.

In the Philippines, the president and vice presidents are not elected as one single vote for one ticket, but rather both are elected separately. Marcos Jr is not a candidate from the same political party as Duterte’s 43 year old daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio, but Marcos Jr had specifically expressed interest in having her as his running mate and hopefully vice president.

Next year is an election year in the Philippines and candidates are in full campaigning mode, and news of the possible alliance intensifies the race for the presidency and vice president with the children of powerful political families on each ticket and working together.

While Marcos Jr hadn’t responded to the press immediately following the reveal, Dueterte-Carpio’s spokesperson confirmed to Reuters her partnership with the 64 year old son of the Philippines dictator that was overthrown in an upheaval in 1986.

“My party allied with and asked for support for Bongbong Marcos and for me after I accepted your challenge and your call.”

Duterte-Carpio was actually the leading candidate for president of the Philippines in many opinion polls for most of 2021 until many were shocked by her announcement that she would not seek the presidency, a bid that would square her off directly against Marcos Jr.

Now, a cross-party ticket bearing the last names of Marcos and Dutere, 2 of the most recognised and influential names in Philippines politics, will likely be a nearly insurmountable ticket, with each family holding sway and power in different regions of the country. The Marcos name carries significant clout in the north of the country while the Duterte family has been active and popular in the south.

[Nerd]

Manny Pacquiao to run for president of the Philippines

Manny Pacquiao, the Philippine boxer and politician, has announced that he will run for president in next year’s election. He has been nominated as a presidential candidate by a faction of the ruling party, PDP-Laban. The 42 year old boxer currently serves as a senator in the Philippine parliament.

The incumbent, Rodrigo Duterte is prevented from running for another term but has been snagged by a rival party faction to run as a vice-president. Critics have derided this manoeuvre as a ploy to maintain power. Days prior to Manny accepting his party’s nomination, Duterte’s longtime aide, Christopher “Bong” Go, was also nominated as a presidential candidate. The aide said he didn’t want to succeed the current president. One of Manny’s rivals in the presidential arena is the current president’s daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, who often leads the polls.

If elected president, Manny has stated he will wage a war on corruption and poverty. He has alleged that 10 Billion Pesos intended for pandemic aid to the poor is unaccounted for. Duterte had previously challenged the senator-boxer to name some officials who were corrupt. Manny fired back that Duterte’s reign as the president was over.

As a boxer, Manny last fought professionally in August. Outside of the ring and politics, he has recorded several songs, including a cover of “Sometimes When We Touch” by Canadian singer Dan Hill. Fellow Canadian musician, Drake mocked the song which led to Manny recording more music.

[Stivler]

Election campaigns kick off in the Philippines, Marcos Jr. a favourite


The campaign season in the Philippines leading up to the May presidential election kicked off this week. Channel News Asia says this season is candidates are running a “chaotic” and “colourful charm offensive” which is aimed at attracting the millions of voters who are “typically more interested in personality than policy.”

Analysts have already foreseen the victory of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the son of the former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, in succeeding Rodrigo Duterte, which would be a major comeback for the family who was forced into exile in the US after the patriarch’s demise in 1986.

More than 35 years after his father’s dictatorship ended, polls predicted Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has vowed to unite the country, would win a landslide victory in the coming elections despite his counterpart Sara Duterte, first daughter of President Duterte and vice-presidential candidate, being bolstered by a strong social media campaign.

Marcos Jr. told broadcaster GMA over the weekend that it was not a good time to argue about what had happened in the Philippines in the past.

“We need to talk about and discuss what we need to be doing in the next few years in order to give back jobs to people so that they will have money in their pockets.”

The incumbent Vice President and a lawyer for the poor, Leni Robredo, has also challenged Marcos Jr. and Duterte, standing second in voter polls. As Sara launched her pink-coloured campaign in Lupi, Camarines Sur’s central region where most of Robredo’s supporters are, he told them she was “filled with courage because you are with me.”

Robredo is ahead of former police chief Panfilo Lacson, celebrity mayor Francisco Domagoso, and celebrity boxer Manny Pacquiao.

An analyst from Eurasia Group, Peter Mumford, says Marcos remains the overwhelming presidential favourite with a 70% chance of winning, citing that many of Duterte’s pro-authoritarian supporters see Marcos as the strongman candidate for the future.

However, Marcos Jr. is facing calls to be removed from the contest due to a past conviction for failing to file income tax filings. He has tried to justify his father’s dictatorship by highlighting economic progress and downplaying the regime’s human rights violations. Many Filipinos, though, are irritated by concerns about his family’s past and alleged ill-gotten money.