NOYNOY COMING UP WITH OWN INFOMERCIAL W/ SIS KRIS, OTHER STARS
MANILA, OCTOBER 31, 2009 (STAR) By Aurea Calica - Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III bared yesterday that celebrities from show business and sports had promised to help him and Sen. Manuel Roxas II in their campaign as the Liberal Party’s presidential and vice presidential bets, respectively, for free.Aquino made this disclosure at a party where they were interviewed by their possible endorsers.
Aquino also said he was coming out with an infomercial with his sister, Kris Aquino-Yap, other showbiz personalities and basketball players to promote an advocacy.
He mentioned popular young actor Dingdong Dantes and young actress Marian Rivera as two of those who would appear in the infomercial. Aquino said that actor, host and singer-composer Ogie Alcasid also vowed to support him.
He had not seen the final version of the infomercial because technical aspects were still being attended to by his sister and would not want to “pre-sell” it or he would catch the ire of the volunteers for their television advertisement.
He said they would only have a few slots before the Nov. 30 deadline of filing the certificates of candidacy because they did not have much funds for the airtime.
Aquino was very thankful to those who volunteered their services and even turned down offers from their rivals. He said the efforts and the kind of work that people in the television and advertising industry poured into his infomercial were admirable.
He said the shoot lasted until the wee hours of the morning, from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. and that he was overwhelmed with the work everyone put in.
In his case, he said he had to “project” before the cameras and was amused that after long hours of work, all they would have was either a 15- or 30-seconder infomercial.
Aquino said even members of the production crew no longer asked for fees and “donated” their services.
“We had some expenses too but they were too small if we would have to pay for everything,” Aquino told reporters when he met local officials from the Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas-Valenzuela area and other provinces at the LP headquarters in Cubao, Quezon City.
Aquino said he was touched by the continuous outpouring of support for them. A young boy donated his allowance for their campaign during the short meeting.
Aquino stressed those who were aligning with them were those who really wanted change and were counting on him and Roxas to lead and effect reforms in the country.
“It makes the pressure for us not to disappoint them really harder,” Aquino said.
During the party, Aquino said the celebrities who would endorse them asked questions and conveyed their desires for the country.
“They were not there just because I am the brother of Kris,” Aquino said.
He said their friend, host Boy Abunda also helped them in the campaign and in the infomercials, which would capture what their campaign was all about, “what we’re fighting for” and aspiring for “in a short span of time.”
He added that young actress Bea Alonzo told them she did not mind paying taxes but would like to see where they were going.
Aquino said comedienne Ai-Ai de las Alas also asked tough questions.
Dantes will lead a campaign with the youth and will be the spokesperson for Advocacies of Youth and Students for Noynoy Aquino or Ayos Na, the senator said.
“He (Dantes) hopes to get 500,000 card-carrying members,” Aquino said.
Aquino said celebrity endorsers were important to get attention but “if what they will say has no substance,” their endorsements would not mean anything.
“I was really impressed with the questions they asked us,” Aquino said.
4 senators inhibit selves from anti-dynasty measure By Christina Mendez (The Philippine Star) Updated October 31, 2009 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Four senators, who are scions of political families, have strongly expressed their intent to inhibit themselves from the passage of the Anti-Political Dynasty Act that would ban any spouse or relative of an incumbent elective official to run for any elected office.
The senators signed the committee report on the Anti-Political Dynasty Act, but admitted plans to hold it back.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson, the bill’s principal sponsor, re-filed the measure just before Congress went into recess last Oct. 14.
The measure is recommended for approval without amendment before the Senate plenary. If passed into law, the measure will be effective in the May 10, 2010 elections.
Sen. Francis Escudero, who bolted last Wednesday from the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) in his fight against so-called traditional and party politics, signed the report as chairman of the Senate
Committee on Constitutional Amendments, Revision of Codes and Laws.
He vowed to “sponsor” the measure even if there was “potential conflict of interest” on his part.
Escudero’s father is Salvador Escudero III, a congressman from Sorsogon who was a member of the Marcos cabinet. The senator’s great grandfather, Salvador Sr., and grandfather, Salvador Jr., were also politicians of their time in Casiguran, Sorsogon.
Aside from Escudero, Senators Benigno Simeon Aquino III, Rodolfo Biazon, Loren Legarda, Manuel Roxas II, Jamby Madrigal, Richard Gordon, Lito Lapid, Joker Arroyo and Francis Pangilinan signed the report as committee members.
Sen. Pia Cayetano, also a member of the committee, did not sign the report, notably because her brother, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano is also a member of the Senate.
Their father, the late Rene Cayetano, was a senator. Sen. Alan’s wife, Lani, is incumbent congresswoman of Taguig.
Ex-officio members Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. also signed the report.
Although they signed the measure, Lapid, Zubiri, and Estrada separately noted that they “may have to inhibit due to possible conflict of interest,” while Arroyo signed with “serious reservation.”
Aquino, who has been banking on the political influence of his parents, the late Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and late President Corazon Aquino, in his presidential bid, said he would interpellate on the measure.
Lapid’s son, Mark, is also a former Pampanga governor. The senator is reportedly mulling to leave the Senate and return to Pampanga where he intends to run again for governor next year.
On the other hand, Jinggoy is a member of a political empire founded by his father, former President Joseph Estrada who has declared his bid to run anew for the presidency.
Ex-president Estrada’s wife, Dr. Loi Ejercito, recently retired from politics but without first being elected as senator while the former president was still in jail on plunder charges.
Apart from Jinggoy and Loi, one of the ex-president’s sons with another woman, Juan Victor (JV) Ejercito, is mayor of San Juan.
Zubiri is a scion of Bukidnon Gov. Jose Ma. Zubiri Jr. His brother, Jose Ma, Zubiri II and the governor’s nephew Ignacio Zubiri are also involved in local politics in the province.
In Malacañang, President Arroyo is seen as the best example of what political dynasty is. Presidential sons Dato Arroyo and Juan Miguel Zubiri are representatives of Camarines Sur and Pampanga, respectively. The president’s brother-in-law, Ignacio Arroyo, is a representative of Negros while Rep. Ma. Lourdes Arroyo, another sibling of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, has been accredited recently as a representative of Kasangga party-list group.
Voters’ right to choose leaders
However, the passage of the measure may again be derailed because Congress is in recess until Nov. 8 and will resume session from Nov. 9 to 20.
Congress will have a break again from Nov. 21 to Nov. 30, presumably to allow candidates to file their certificates of candidacy.
During the resumption of session between Dec. 1 to Dec. 18, the lawmakers hands will be full with the continuation of deliberations on the 2010 General Appropriations Act set to be passed before Christmas break on Dec. 19.
By January 2010, candidates for national and local posts are expected to be busy with their respective campaigns.
Before Lacson, the anti-dynasty bill was first advocated by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago who has expressed disappointment over Congress’ dilly-dallying with the passage of the measure in past Congresses.
In his explanatory note for Senate Bill 1468, Lacson lamented that Congress failed to pass the law since its first filing during the 8th Congress because most lawmakers come from “well-entrenched political clans.”
Under the measure, political dynasty refers to the concentration, consolidation or perpetuation of political power by persons related to one another.
“Unfortunately, despite numerous attempts to introduce an anti-political dynasty law (as early as the 8th Congress) to effect electoral reforms and level the political landscape, Congress failed to pass such a law,” Lacson said.
He added that the inaction can be attributed to the fact that many members of Congress came from well-entrenched political clans.
“Over the years, they have successfully argued for the so-called electorate’s right to choose their elected leaders using the oft-repeated principle that sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them,” the senator said.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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