Cagayan de Oro Vote Buying Is On Public

I just finished voting to the people who I think they have the power to run our country and lead us to the right path. When I'm on the area where I'm voting I observed that vote buying is happening in the area. I did not get any pictures or video co'z I forgot to bring my phone (sayang)...

I think vote buying is already part of the every election happened in our country and it is already the traditions of Filipino that if election is coming we expect money from the candidates, what ever is that election is, Local, National or even SK election is already learn on how to buy votes. This election is the first automated election and their are lots of problem that this automated election encounter. In Cagayan de Oro I saw and witness some vote buying happened in our city from Congressman, Mayor candidates down to councilors are all buying votes.

There is congressman or congresswoman who buy votes for 200-500 pesos so that her/his name will be vote.
For Mayor candidates they buy votes for 500-800 pesos each person who will vote for them.
and for candidates who run for a councilors they buy votes for 50-150 pesos per person.

We could not say that this election will consider a clean election. If we will vote this people for there position that they are running our country will become poorer because of this politicians where in they run for the personal interest. So hopefully to the person who will win and become our nest President please do your job because Filipinos is now more and more smarter when it comes to choice the next leader in this country.

Loren Legarda’s Dilemma

Sen. Loren Legarda, the top brand name in the 2007 Senatorial race, must decide and act fast. Her ratings are slipping away. And I know what ails the only environmentalist Senator of the land. She knows she has a very solid and very high support base. And being second when you know you can win is an agonizing place to be in.

If you look at the SWS survey ratings from September 2008 to September 2009, she has a very high support base of 24%—higher than Senator Chiz Escudero who is being touted as the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) standard bearer and even of Erap’s (only 13.5%). Escudero has been her most ardent suitor. While Gibo Teodoro is just waiting in the wings for her to say “Yes!” (Gibo, by the way, has a dismal 1% consistent mass base support). Manny Villar is still just some few feet away, fiddling with his big bucks.

Why will I agree to run as second fiddle when my average mass support is higher than all these suitors of mine, says Legarda? Quite understandable, if I would say so.

Loren’s dilemma is actually more of a perception issue rather than a winnability issue. The perception is, Loren’s chances are slim because people would not prefer another woman president. This wrong perception affects funding support behind her candidacy. Of course, without campaign funds, how would she run?

Legarda’s mass base support is very consistent unlike those of Chiz and Estrada’s whose support bases are vascillating and probably, even of Noynoy’s whose support base is still amorphous at this point. A 2o-plus percent mass base is nothing to sneeze at. In a five or even six-cornered fight, this could win elections!

Yet, the reality on the ground runs counter to these survey findings. Political funders have their sights trained on supporting a male president.

Now, an unsolicited advice to Ms. Legarda—think STRATEGIC.

Run as vice president with someone with the machinery—regardless of party affiliation. If you run as NPC vice president, Chiz would only use your mass base to bolster his. If you run as Manny Villar’s second fiddle, the same thing. Yet, if you run under Teodoro’s party, you will still preserve your constituency PLUS enjoy using a big party machinery capable of trouncing a Mar Roxas.

It’s your call.

PGMA State Of the Nation Address 2009 (SONA)

PGMA SONA 2009 Video 1



Barely had President Arroyo started talking when the comments started pouring in: dozens of Facebook users posted updates so swiftly that they turned into a running commentary.

Many of the remarks, written in short-hand English and Filipino that wasn’t always grammatical, were testy and sarcastic.

Reacting to the President’s recital of her achievements, one visitor said: “Totohanin mo na sana yan, ilang beses ka na nagsisinungaling sa bayan?" (If only you could actually make that come true, how many times have you lied to the nation?)

“Hello Garci, ‘di ka ata kasama," wrote another visitor, referring to the 2004 scandal where President Arroyo allegedly colluded with an election commissioner to fix the votes.

Yet another dismissed the speech: “Wala naman kwenta tulad ng dati." (Worthless, just like the others before)

“GMA is bragging on the things that she has done for the Filipino people," reminded one user, adding “did she forget that is indeed her responsibility?"

The remarks streamed swiftly across the small window: “She is shameless;" “Nakakatawa siya, ‘no" (she's funny, isn't she).

When Mrs. Arroyo started to belittle her critics and political foes, there were pointed responses. Marvic Leonen, dean of the UP College of Law, said: “State of the Nation Address should be a time to tell our societies what the Office of the President sees as our collective challenge and a call for support. It should not be an occasion to divide further. This is not a boxing match."

Another user invited everyone “to compare this woman to Governor Grace (Padaca) who quietly and firmly puts violators of the law in their place and merely says she is just enforcing the law. This woman can't even follow it!"

Occasionally, some FB users expressed support for Mrs. Arroyo, the most unpopular president the country has had since 1986.

“Wag natin tingnan ang negatibo... makinig muna bago komento," (Let's not look at the negative, listen first before commenting), someone cautioned.

“I love my nation. I thank God that we have a great and brilliant president," asserted another user.

“That was really a FIERCE and BRAVE SONA," said a partisan someone.

When the speech ended, there was no lack of posters trying to evaluate it. Tony La Viña, dean of the Ateneo School of Government, said: “Overall, a defensive speech, a speech about the past, not the future. Next year, maybe we will be inspired."

Another poster said: “I wasted my time watching this SONA... Campaign Speech lang naman lahat. For the last time bagsak pa rin ang grade mo PGMA."

One FB user said: “Dapat i-congratulate... hirap nung ginawang rehearsal nun." (She should be congratulated, it must have been hard rehearsing that speech)

You can watch the full video of the SONA 2009 of PGMA below:

PGMA SONA 2009 Video 2



PGMA SONA 2009 Video 3



PGMA SONA 2009 Video 4



PGMA SONA 2009 Video 5



PGMA SONA 2009 Video 6



PGMA SONA 2009 Video 7



Source: gmanews.tv