UNDERFUNDED but undaunted, senatorial aspirants from the Makabayan bloc and the Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM), as well as independent candidate Heidi Mendoza, are pulling all stops to reach as many of the Filipino masses as they can as the campaign reaches the homestretch.
Renato Reyes Jr., Makabayan campaign manager, called on the coalition’s supporters all over the country to continue pushing for their senatorial ticket in the remaining days of the campaign.
“In the face of daily harassment, intimidation, red-tagging, black propaganda, and fake news, we remain resolute in securing seats for our national and local candidates. We lack resources but what we have in abundance is the strong support of the Filipino masses and allies who share our fight for justice,” Reyes said.
Reyes admitted that compared to the political parties with massive war chests, the Makabayan campaign started on its backfoot due to lack of media advertisements and expensive billboards to introduce its senatorial bets and party-list nominees to the voting public.
“We have very good candidates and party-list nominees who are running a campaign of principles and touting track records on public service. The other parties know this, which accounts (for) the regular attacks and red-tagging on the Makabayan bloc,” he said.
He said the results of commissioned surveys showed a disappointing majority of candidates from political dynasties and neophytes in Philippine politics who are running on nothing but name-recall from being former movie actors.
“If we look at the surveys, it looks like our country is headed to a dark alley but we will not falter in fighting evil and darkness. We will give it our all to bring enlightened governance to the people,” Reyes said.
He urged Makabayan supporters to reach out to friends and the marginalized communities to present an alternative platform than what the major political parties are offering.
For her part, Mendoza, who is a former state auditor, appealed to volunteers running her campaign in various provinces to get in touch with as many relatives, colleagues and friends online to bring her anti-corruption campaign to them.
“If you believe that the Senate is in need of a member who has courage, integrity, genuine concern for taxpayers, please continue campaigning for me. Bring my message to your families, friends, and neighbors in group chats, That one vote here and there might be the one that gets us a chance to hold the corrupt accountable,” she said.
Various surveys and mock elections in major universities in the country continue to show support for progressive candidates and former senators Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino.
More telling was the students’ rejection of all candidates from PDP-Laban supported by former president Rodrigo Duterte and “Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas” backed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr .
A Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) system-wide mock elections held from April 14 to 25 with 9,692 votes cast showed Pangilinan at top spot, with 7,835 of the votes cast.
At second place is peasant sector bet Danilo Ramos (7,301 votes) and labor leader Luke Espiritu at third (6,775 votes).
The rest in the top 12 are House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas (fourth), Aquino (fifth), former Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño (sixth), Heidi Mendoza (seventh), fisheries sector advocate Ronnel Arambulo (eighth), House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro (ninth), workers’ rights advocate Leody de Guzman (tenth), former Gabriela party-list Rep. Liza Maza (eleventh), and urban poor sector bet Eufemia Doringo (twelfth).
