Ang Presidente at Bise-Presidente Ko, says Senator Chiz Escudero

Finally, I got a hold of the new TV advertisements, "Ang Presidente Ko" and "Ang Bise-Presidente Ko", of Senator Francis Chiz Escudero for Senator Noynoy Aquino of the Liberal Party and Makati Mayor Jojo Binay of PDP-Laban. He is endorsing a Noy-Bi tandem for the 2010 Elections for President and Vice-President respectively. These ads, I believe will air tomorrow or today in the airwaves. Here are the official first/almost-exclusive post of the ads.


Videos courtesy of iCatcher Productions of Ms. Bibeth Orteza

Susan Ople, Adel Tamano and Gilbert Remulla visit UP Diliman

I had the chance to follow Nationalista Party (NP) senatorial candidates Susan Ople (Estelle), Adel Tamano and Gilbert Remulla as they went around UP Diliman the other day. I had the privilege to ask them this question. “Why did you choose UP as one of your stops in the campaign and what can you say to all of the UP students?” You can read more about their campaign in UP on my article in Blogwatch.

Adel Tamano says that, “UP is special. The best and the brightest come here. My wife is a graduate of UP, which shows you how high and esteem I hold UP. It is important that before the students participate in the mock elections that we go to them. My message wasn’t vote for me. I came here to tell them to choose the best. Just like in UP, you don’t choose the most popular or the one who was a former UP student when you choose the students who will enter [the school, instead] they choose the best.”

“That’s the message I want the UP students to have – that they learn about all the candidates. I hope that they also learn about me, what my accomplishments are, what my track record is, so that they could choose. I am not saying that I am the best, but though I am saying is that let’s choose the best. I think we have had enough of Lito Lapid’s and Bong Revilla’s in our Senate, it’s time that we choose the best,” he stresses.


On the other hand, Gilbert Remulla, through his media officer Gelo Villar says, “Of course, it’s his Alma Matter. He has a sense of loyalty to UP, and also since he values education the most. The campaign is a way to give back the scholarship of a UP education to the taxpayers who paid for his studies. If he wins as Senator, he will be able to repay them with public service.”


His message to the UP students is to “make the most out of your stay, be active and vigilant to social issues around. It’s not all about studying, but to also to finish on time to give other worthy scholars a chance to have a UP education,” he says.

Susan Ople, through her daughter, said, "We chose UP as one of our stops because we believe the youth have the capability and desire to change Philippine politics for the better. We appeal to all voters, UP students or otherwise, to vote wisely. Look beyond celebrity and established names. New politics requires new names and faces in the Senate. So look at the new names more closely. Don't rely solely on media and ads. Google your candidates and share what you find out to fellow voters. If we do that, there is a better chance of us obtaining the change we deserve."

Philippine Senate Comedy Controversies: Mar Roxas and Nene Pimentel

The Senate of the Philippines is increasingly getting very politicized as the May 2010 Presidential Elections nears. Senators are once again starting to be at the center of controversies, comedy, and circus sessions, which they are in no position to be since session will end in a few days. Election season, though unofficially in COMELEC's calendars, has definitely started!

ROXAS: I have no insertion on any matter. In fact, I have no insertion, period because we were in the minority. Let alone an insertion for a road to pass through any such property.

PIMENTEL: Well, I’m sure that after your marriage you’ve had some insertions…

ROXAS: Mr. President, I demand that that be removed from the record. That is an affront on my wife!

PIMENTEL: Mr. President, I remove it immediately.

Now you wouldn't wonder why sooner (or maybe later), Senators will be needing boxing gloves and that the Senate of the Philippines will already have a boxing ring? Maybe then, Manny Pacquiao can run for the Senate already?

Youth with Sen. Chiz Escudero

Just recently, members of Youth for Chiz (Youth for Change!) had a small dinner get-together with the Senator himself. He explained to us why he decided not to run, reiterated why he bolted out from NPC, discussed about his future plans as a Senator, and where he wants us, the youth, to go from here.

I saw in my members' eyes that they understood where he was coming from. I can surmise that that night, not only that they learned more about him, but also, they got the chance to understand more about his decisions in the past and see his person, his relaxed and informal self.

I get it. I guess that it is through us, those who he gets to interact more, that people will get to know the real Chiz, the other side of him, beyond what the Media and or critics have shaped or accused him to be. It's through us, the youth, that other people may get to know who he really is, his vision, and his plans for our country.

I share with him his ideals and ideas of a principled run and giving and showing that every Filipino has one vote..that even if you're the richest or the poorest Pinoy, come election day, you're just the same. You have the same power to choose who will lead us, and where we will go from thereon. It's a matter of using that power wisely.


*First 2 photos courtesy of Bam :) Thanks!

Handa ka na ba sa 2010?

2009 SONA: Sana Totoo!

The 2009 SONA-SANA video seeks to provide a candid evaluation of the Arroyo presidency, which has, for the past seven SONAs, failed to provide an accurate assessment of the state of our nation.



In the video, which will be made available to the public via the internet, opposition Sen. Francis Joseph "Chiz" G. Escudero reports on how the president has failed to meet the very standards she set when she took over the presidency in 2001. And how despite holding her position for over eight years the country continues to suffer, particularly in the areas of education, job generation, food security, and good governance.

Aside from giving a somber account of the state of the nation, Sen. Escudero also points out what should have been done to address the country's myriad problems, and looks forward as he presents alternatives so that the questionable policies of the present administration can be rectified.

Video and text courtesy of jedmeva

Leading by X-ample

It's time to go back to my Alma Matter and hear out Secretary Gilbert Teodoro's vision for the Philippines. He was once one of my picks for President in 2010, but the better in me saw light. No--school ties shouldn't dictate when you choose your next President. It should not matter. What matters is his vision, creativity and passion to learn and serve the Philippines and share with it with the Filipino people. I hope to learn a lot from the forum, and engage Gibo and the audience in a healthy discussion.



If you have questions, suggestions, comments, violent reactions you wish to address to Sec. Teodoro, you may email me at brian_bong88@yahoo.com or message me at Plurk. I shall ask them in the Forum later.

Youth Vote Philippines goes to UP Diliman

Yesterday, Youth Vote Philippines gathered various student organizations from UP and around the Philippines for one of many in the series of voters registration and education campaign to involve and engage the youth to act now for our country by taking the first step to go register and make others register as well.



By making the youth aware of the situation, questioning and acting upon it, and sharing it with others, then we can make a STATEMENT and an impact in the development of our country. Atom Araullo and Juana Change's message to the youth.












Launched last September 2008, Youth Vote Philippines is an alliance of various youth and reform-minded organizations for 2010 and beyond — Young Public Servants - INCITEGov (YPS) with Akbayan Youth, Ayala Young Leaders, TAYO, FTV, Reform Coalition, Student Council Alliance of the Philippines, WhyNotForum, Youth Alliance Philippines, and Movement for Good Governance. Their objective is to create online and offline collaboration for voter’s education and increased voter registration.





"Laugh, dance, vote" is one of the messages of Youth Vote Philippines. Jaime Garchitorena, one of the great minds behind this campaign, said that "laughing and dancing are crucial to youth experiences." In the forum he said, “Laugh when you have to laugh, dance when it is time to dance, and come May 2010, vote when you have to vote,” he said.



"He believes this message, which will be promoted through the Internet, on tarpaulins and shirts, would encourage the youth to be more proactive in the May 2010 elections," according to the ABS-CBN online news report.





Visit Youth Vote Philippines' website, and make it known! :)









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