Manzano, Santos-Recto, and Recto

Woke up one day with news that former OMB Chairperson Edu Manzano is running for Vice-President under the administration’s Lakas-Kampi with Gilbert Tedoro as presidential candidate. Manzano was formerly the vice-mayor of Makati City but lost when he ran for mayor. Lately, he has been Chairman of the Optical Media Board, and host of at least 2 televsion shows. Manzano was also tagged as one of the leaders behind the Ako Mismo movement.

Ako Mismo, when launched as a television commercial, earned the interest of a lot of people since it seemed like a political campaign ad but the source or funding was only vaguely revealed to the public. Manzano, in an interview about Ako Mismo, denied that it was made as a prelude to his candidacy for any position. Manzano asserted that politicians were not allowed to join the TVC or the movement as to avoid doubts regarding the movement’s motivation.

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Noli De Castro for President?

Malacañang has declared that Vice President Noli de Castro is its top bet for the administration’s presidential candidate for 2010. De Castro ran for the senate in 2001 as an independent candidate. When he was elected, it seems like he aligned himself with the administration. Needless to say, I cannot remember any act, advocacy, or proposal by de Castro which is contrary to the administration’s policies. In 2004, he ran for the vice-presidency with Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. As vice president, I cannot remember any act, legislation, or advocacy which he has pushed or worked on that has significantly captured the attention of the Filipino people, or has changed our lives or our country.

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The Administration Unites

Both Lakas and Kampi party presidents have resigned from their posts. Both Speaker of the House Prospero Nograles of Lakas and Representative Luis Villafuerte of Kampi have resigned as presidents of their parties. This is purportedly a sign of deference to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who now has the free reign to determine the leadership and structure of both parties, giving way to a united administration coalition, and a single standard bearer for both parties.

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