Why Bongbong Marcos Must Win As VP

MANILA: In Rappler's The Scrum, Miriam Grace A Go has written a beautiful piece, grudgingly so, about Bongbong Marcos and his candidacy for Vice President of the Philippines (05 March 2016, updated 08 April 2016, "Why Bongbong Marcos might win as VP," rappler.com). (Image above is the one that comes with Norman Bordadora's article in GMA News Online, msn.com.)

Well-researched and handsomely written despite Ms Go's apparent dislike of the candidate, I must congratulate her for this eye-opener for me. Not that I have not been sold to Bongbong before this, but that Ms Go has added info and insight into why Bongbong Marcos might win as VP. He must. Words work in mysterious ways, I must say.

Ms Go tells us that as early as January 2015, sister Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos "gathered Kabataang Barangay leaders and organizers to prime them for Bongbong's 2016 bid." I myself know that in their father's time, Imee was the personification of the best of the KB. Says Ms Go:

A number of these KBs are now in position to influence voters in national and local government offices, in non-governmental organizations, in universities; not a few have the ears of senatorial, congressional, and local candidates who either consult them or whose campaigns they are running.

Necessarily, says Ms Go, on Election Day, the KB connections' ward leaders will convey voters to polling precincts. I say that this is crucial, because the usual voter is lazy to go to the voting precinct.

Ms Go says an internal survey sponsored by the Marcoses showed that about 56% of Filipino voters thought the Philippines was better during Bongbong's father's time than since then. I myself believe it so; for instance, I myself have called Ferdinand Marcos Sr the Father of Modern Science in the Philippines (see my essay, "Soldiers & Scientists, 2012. To define our world, to defend it," 30 August 2012, A Magazine Called Love, blogspot.in). FM was a soldier and he believed in Philippine science.

With that survey information, Ms Go says, Bongbong decided to anchor his campaign on his father's positive legacy, never mind if others would point to some other negative legacy.

Survey says Bongbong is formidable. "He's got the numbers," Ms Go says. He will almost certainly be going to be elected VP. "What to do if you want to prevent it?" Ms Go asks, and answers that if they want to defeat Bongbong, his opponents will have to choose one among themselves to match his charisma and cash. "If the anti-Marcos vote," Ms Go says, "does not rally behind a single candidate, then Bongbong will run away with the elections."

Chiz Escudero or Leni Robredo, both from the Bicol Region, might match Bongbong's numbers, says Ms Go. But Escudero is an independent and has no machinery, while Robredo has the Liberal Party behind her and volunteer groups. And of course President Noynoy Aquino.

All things being equal, will Leni be able to match Bongbong strength for strength? Ms Go says, "A major strength of Bongbong, which is not measured in surveys, is his familiarity with the local government sector." I know he has been a provincial Governor. Ms Go says Bongbong has "done a good job as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government. When he discusses provinces and cities and towns and barangays, you can tell he has a good grasp of how they work, what they need, what they want. He can talk to the locals."

"So can Robredo," Ms Go says. "In small-town forums and in big rallies, she tells her story in a way that arrests the attention of voters who have barely heard of her before. Her platform reveals a practical understanding of how local governments can be empowered."

Interesting that Ms Go is almost like endorsing Leni Robredo against Bongbong Marcos. Interesting that I considered Leni as my VP last year (see my essay, "Why Leni Is My VP," 11 October 2015, A Magazine Called Love, blogspot.in). That was because she was saying what I thought were the right, intelligent things to see and say.

I wrote there that "Leni believes in marriage between a man and a woman under the Roman Catholic Church – and there are no equal rights there! (No, there are not even equal hugs.)" (The image I used was that of Jesse Robredo hugging Leni.) But I was wrong.

On 19 February 2016, Leni Robredo was reported as saying, "Who are we going to love and who are we going to live with is a basic human right" (Julliane Love De Jesus, Inquirer, newsinfo.inquirer.net). Well, I did not, I do not believe that to engage in same-sex union is a human right, so I stopped believing in Leni.

I next turned my attention to Bongbong Marcos for his experience as Ilocos Norte Governor and excellent performance as Senator. Again, I was disappointed when it was reported that he also favored same-sex marriages. But on reading another report, I was enlightened: "Bongbong Marcos on same-sex marriage: Vox populi, vox dei" (Norman Bordadora, 18 February 2016, GMA News Online, msn.com; the image above is from that report):

Vice presidential candidate Sen Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr on Wednesday said he has nothing against same-sex marriage if the people would support the passage of a law that would legalize it.

Safe answer. "Again, who am I to judge? Nasa tao yan, nasa lugar." It's up to the people to put it in its right place.

Bongbong also said, "Halimbawa kung magkakaroon tayo ng batas, eh kung sang-ayon ang taumbayan, anong sinasabi? Vox populi, vox dei, the voice of the people is the voice of God. Ganoon tayo sumusunod." Suppose we have the law, if the people approve it, what does it say? That's (what) we are going to follow.

"Kagaya ng sinasabi ko, sumusunod ako sa payo ng Santo Papa that we do not judge," Bongbong said. Like I said, I follow the advice of the Holy Pope that we do not judge.

I judge Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos as the next rightful Vice President for this country!