By Abner Galino
LP chairman President Benigno S. Aquino III, along with LP Presidential Candidate former DILG Secretary Manuel Roxas II and LP Vice Presidential Candidate Camarines Sur 3rd District Representative Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, flashes the Laban “L” sign during the “Daang Matuwid: To Be Continued…” of the ruling Liberal Party (LP) at the Corazon C. Aquino Kalayaan Hall of the Club Filipino in San Juan City on Monday (October 05). (MNS photo)
THE campaign to promote the political tandem of Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo, presidential and vice presidential bets, respectively, just got the proverbial shot in the arm after getting the support of a well-respected Filipino-American businesswoman-millionaire-lawyer-author-philantropist Loida Nicolas-Lewis.
And Lewis isn’t simply raising her thumbs up for the Roxas-Robredo tandem, she is vigorously campaigning for them and has pledged to open up her own pocket to finance their campaign here in the US and in the Philippines. She recently declared to give a dollar for every dollar that would be contributed by people here in the US to the political campaign of Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo.
At this early, Lewis’ endorsement of Roxas and Robredo has already caused a stir among Filipino-Americans who had a falling out with the administration of President Noynoy Aquino for bungling a succession of issues that include the opening of and other restrictions imposed on balikbayan boxes and the so-called “laglag-bala” scam at the country’s prime international airport.
Lewis went on a couple of “town hall-style” meetings in Los Angeles over the weekend. In one those meetings arranged by prominent Los Angeles civic leader Rocio Nuyda at the posh residence of Fil-American couple Edwin and Lanie Racquel (at the legendary former Mary Pickford estate in Hancock Park), the millionaire-lawyer-philantropist expressed optimism that the frail political campaign for the Roxas-Robredo tandem could still gain momentum.
While admitting that the Roxas-Robredo tandem being endorsed by the outgoing Aquino administration ranks very low in all public perception surveys, Lewis said political surveys have not been infallible in so far as predicting the outcomes of elections in the Philippines.
Lewis cited instances where candidates who were on top of surveys were actually beaten in the polls, which included Mar Roxas himself – who was beaten by Jejomar Binay when he ran for vice president — and former senator Manny Villar — who was beaten by Noynoy Aquino for the presidency.
According to Lewis, the voice of Filipino-Americans—many of whom remain as financial providers for their families back home — could provide the much-needed boost to the frail political campaign of Roxas and Robredo.
“Each of you has at least 50 to 100 people in your sphere of influence,” Lewis said, “use the social media, your Facebook, Twitter and whatever you have to tell our countrymen why we should vote for Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo.
Lewis said she will pursue the Roxas-Robredo campaign, not only in the US, but as well as in other countries and continents in the west with big Filipino communities such as in Canada, England and in Europe.
Why vote for the Roxas-Robredo tandem?
For those in the know, Lewis supporting Robredo was a predictable upshot to the political alignments in the province of Bicol. Both women hailed from Sorsogon. And the other thing is, Robredo fits into the mold of an ideal politician – fresh, modest, untainted by corruption and with sufficient credentials (she is a lawyer and current congressman of Sorsogon) for the post that she is aspiring for. Lewis, on the other hand, is a strong and consistent advocate of clean, good and pro-poor government here in the US and the Philippines.
Lewis, apparently don’t see Roxas as too far off her own mold of an ideal politician. On the other hand, Lewis sees Roxas’ 22 years of government service – from a congressman to being cabinet secretary in three consecutive political administrations — as “untarnished with corruption.” She also acknowledged Roxas’ role in strengthening the business process outsourcing (BPO), also known as call center industry which is estimated to currently employ more than 1 million Filipino workers.
Lewis added that Roxas’ ability to be part of three consecutive political administrations speaks volume about his efficiency as a top government bureacrat.
But apparently, Lewis’ stronger argument to push for the candidacies of Roxas and Robredo has more to do with her perception of the outgoing Aquino administration.
Lewis believes that the Roxas-Robredo win would keep the positive outlook of the international community to Philippine government and its economy. According to her, the perception of corruption against the Philippines has declined greatly since the assumption of the Aquino administration. It was coupled by positive economic performance ratings for the country that came from the reputable financial research groups such as the Standard and Poor and Bloomberg.
“This (simultaneous positive ratings) has never happened before in previous political administrations,” Lewis claimed.
Lewis went on to commend the Aquino administration for investing more money in education, public health and for continuing and expanding the conditional cash transfer program, better known as Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino program (started in the administration of President Gloria Arroyo) which now stands at P65 billion.