Big boost in Mar ratings seen

MANILA, Philippines - The endorsement of President Aquino will improve the survey numbers of Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. claimed yesterday.

“Yes, it will, but the brunt of the work is on Mar Roxas himself,” he said in a text message.

For House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, Aquino’s endorsement of Roxas has effectively changed the political landscape insofar as the presidential race is concerned.

“This is now a different ballgame. Forget about the recent survey. Mar Roxas has become the man to beat,” he said.

Belmonte and Gonzales both belong to the ruling Liberal Party (LP).

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III said Aquino’s decision to support Roxas’ presidential bid is “characteristically PNoy,” refering to the President’s moniker.

“PNoy is loyal to his friends. I never doubted that he would anoint Mar, who has been his loyal troubleshooter and who is highly qualified to be his successor,” he said.

For his part, Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. of Dasmariñas City in Cavite, a leader of the National Unity Party (NUP), said the LP presidential candidate, with Aquino’s help, should now convince all political and civil society groups allied with the administration to support him.

“If these groups believe in PNoy’s reform agenda and his daang matuwid (straight path) core advocacy, they should support Mar Roxas because it is Secretary Mar who can continue what the President has started,” he said.

He said among the groups that Roxas and Aquino should now start courting are the Nacionalista Party (NP), NUP and Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

“As far as I am concerned, I am committed to Secretary Mar. I will try to convince my party mates to support him,” he added.

Barzaga pointed out that aside from him, several NUP congressmen and governors attended Friday’s ceremonies at Club Filipino in San Juan during which Aquino endorsed Roxas as his preferred successor.

The Cavite lawmaker said judging by the statements of their leaders, the NP and NPC are still not committed to support any presidential aspirant.

Former senator Manuel Villar Jr. heads the NP, while businessman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., an uncle of Aquino, has reassumed leadership of NPC with the recent death of his brother, the late Tarlac Rep. Henry Cojuangco.

In the 2010 elections, Villar ran for president under his own party, while NPC supported then Sen. Benigno Aquino III.

Among those LP is considering as Roxas’ vice presidential running mate is Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, who belongs to NP.

Barzaga said Aquino’s endorsement would have a great impact on Roxas’ survey numbers.

“PNoy has a trust approval rating of 57 percent. I think the President can covert those numbers into votes for Mar Roxas. He can convince his supporters that it is Secretary Mar who can pursue the reforms he has started and his good governance, accountability and transparency advocacies,” he said. 

Roxas-Poe winning tandem

Sen. Sergio Osmeña III said Roxas would likely win the 2016 polls if Sen. Grace Poe will not run against him and instead, endorse the secretary’s presidential bid.

A Roxas-Poe tandem would be a “winning idea,” but negotiations seemed to have bogged down after nothing came out with President Aquino’s meetings with Poe, he said.

According to Osmeña, Roxas’ chances of winning will also improve if Poe will not run as around 60 to 80 percent of Poe’s mass base might go to the interior secretary.

Roxas has been consistently low in the survey ratings compared to Poe but both have cornered “pro-Aquino” votes.

In a two-way fight between Roxas and Vice President Jejomar Binay, Osmeña said the two formidable contenders would have a tie in the ratings in a field of three or four candidates. 

“They will be tied at 35 percent,” he said.

Even if Roxas got President Aquino’s endorsement, Osmeña thinks it remains to be seen if it will boost the LP bet’s standing in the surveys. 

The senator noted that former President Fidel Ramos’ ratings did not increase when former President Corazon Aquino endorsed him in 1992.

“The situation is very fluid because all others have not declared. We have Duterte, Grace Poe, Bongong Marcos, even (former) senator (Panfilo) Lacson… So it’s hard to address until there is a declaration. But right now, there is an advantage on President Aquino’s endorsement for Sec. Roxas,” Osmeña said.

Poe recently topped the Social Weather Stations (SWS) surveys last June with 42 percent, followed by Binay with 34 percent while Roxas got 31 percent. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte had 20 percent.

In the Pulse Asia survey, Poe enjoyed a 30 percent lead, while Binay got 22 percent, then Duterte cornered 15 percent. Roxas tied with Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada with 10 percent each.

Duterte is also a personality to watch, Osmeña said, noting how the local mayor has endeared himself to Metro Manila voters.

Duterte happy for Mar

Mayor Duterte is happy for Roxas after he was anointed by the President as standard bearer of the LP. 

“I am happy for him,” Duterte said. 

Duterte and Roxas have been good friends for a long time. 

He said Roxas is a very capable man to become President. 

Roxas had always made it a point to visit Duterte whenever he is here in Davao City.

The interior secretary had also expressed interest in the federalism form of government that Duterte is promoting.

The so-called Yellow Army, that consists of followers of the late President Corazon Aquino will support Roxas in next year’s presidential elections.

Deedee Sytangco, who was the personal secretary of the late president, believes that “Cory Magic” will be instrumental for Roxas in securing his bid.

“We are happy that the straight path will be continued. We know that the Cory magic is still there. Whoever is endorsed we will support. The straight path had already been tested from Cory to PNoy,” Sytangco told reporters in Filipino at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City where the late president’s 6th death anniversary was commemorated last Saturday.

A Mass was held at the cemetery that was attended by Roxas and friends of the late president. Also present were the Aquino children led by President Aquino.

In her message after the Mass, television host and actress Kris, one of the late president’s daughters, said that they have kept their promise to their mother that she and her siblings will not fight and will stay united.

Kris also assured her brother, the President that she will continue to support him whatever happens after the 2016 elections when he will step down from Malacañang.

Kris said that her late mother told them to be always be there for each other and to stay united as a family.

“So to my brother, whatever will make you happy now and in 2016, and beyond, I will do for you. In every family, there are moments that you are proud of each other. I think, you can’t take away from us that our brother is Noynoy Aquino,” she added.

Roxas thanked members of the Yellow Army for supporting his bid as he assured them that he would continue the fight for reform, which was started by the President’s parents.

That fight, he said, was continued by the President under his daang matuwid (straight path) campaign.

Meanwhile, Roxas told reporters that he has not yet selected a possible running mate but confirmed that Sen. Grace Poe is in his shortlist.

“The short answer is yes,” he said when asked if Poe is still being considered as his possible vice-presidential bet.

Roxas also stressed that there is nothing wrong in being branded as “PNoy 2.0” since he would continue President Aquino’s campaign for reform in government. With Mike Frialde, Edith Regalado