Do you find the personalities in the Social Weather Station's list of top four 'presidentiables' inspiring?

VOZ BUTUYAN, PANGASINAN: They are very disappointing presidentiables that look and act like traditional politicians. I  prefer an unknown but honest person to bring back the pride and honor that we once  possessed! 

SAHLEE REYES, LAS PIÑAS CITY: Yes, the top four presidentiables are inspiring, but I would rather choose a tested leader.  

Vir Lauzon, General  Santos City :They’re all traditional politicians Not at all. They’re all trapos. 

Edwin Castillo, Tanauan City: The top four presidentiables in the latest SWS survey are all the same, mga trapos. Walang maaasahang pagbabago kung isa sa kanila ang mananalo. 

Pat Cuilan, Benguet :Yes, whoever the survey topnotchers and tailenders are, Philippine politics is always inspiring. Governance, unfortunately, is a different thing. All of them are  trapos.  The SWS survey topnotchers seem to be trapos who might not evoke inspiration.  

Ruel Bautista, Laguna: They are all trapos with the same hidden and personal agenda. 

Jose Parco, Kalibo, Aklan: They’re just more of the same personalities promising us the moon and the stars. Whatever stories we hear about them should be justified by what they’ve done for our country. If they were aweinspiring, indeed, how come we are still in a quagmire with regard to progress, peace, social services, infrastructure, etc.? As far as I know, they have been in politics since time immemorial. How come hindi natin naramdaman ang pagasenso? At hindi ba tayo di dapat umasa sa gobyerno? Ergo, there’s nothing about them that’s inspiring at all! 

C.B. Manalastas, Manila: Except maybe for Noli and Manny, considering their beginnings, Loren and Escudero are both a bunch of ambitious trapos greedy for power!  

Too early to tell

Fortunato Aguirre, Bulacan: It’s still too early to make a choice. Who knows? Maybe a good leader will be discovered so we would not have to elect the lesser evil from this bunch of dirty trapos. 

Manny Cordeta, Marikina City: I am in no position to judge. The campaign period has yet to commence and each aspirant’s views, opinions, planned programs, or their packaged missionvision for our beleaguered nation has yet to be unveiled to our endlessly hoping electorate. When it starts, only then could I lay out my final verdict whether these presidential wannabes are really inspiring or not. This leads me to trumpet this call among presidential hopefuls, regardless of being on the list or not: “Try your utmost to be inspiring; avoid being exasperating!” 

Uninspiring

Ignacio Anacta, Metro Manila: None of the top four presidentiables seems to be inspiring. They are all part and parcel of our collusive and corrupt government system. They know all the ins and outs of corruption and how to avoid conviction. However, if I had no choice but to vote for one of them, I’d probably go for Manny Villar, whose ragstoriches accomplishment may inspire others to work honestly and hard. I just wish he would have the balls to minimize, if not eliminate, corrupt practices in our beloved Philippines, no matter who get hurts! 

Dino Monzon, Caloocan City: Inspiring? Hardly. Hackneyed is more apropos as the socalled top four are the same old politicos we’ve been hearing about. Let’s have new blood in 2010. 

Elpidio Que, Vigan: It is not inspiration that they elicit, but fear. What would be inspiring is if either Chief Justice Puno or Brig. Gen Danny Lim, who are both considered to have unquestionable integrity and capability, would run. 

Armando Tavera, Las Piñas City :They may be on top, yes; but inspiring, no. I’m optimistic about the topnotcher, but I feel pessimistic about the three aspirants after him.  

Pedro Alagano Sr., Vigan City: They may be inspiring to others but not to me because they lack the qualities of Lee Kuan Yew and Ramon Magsaysay that I’m looking for. 

Patrick Miranda, Marikina City :Definitely not; these traditional politicians who appear in these surveys are so tiring to watch. 

Rex Earlou Calmerin, Iligan City: Sounds interesting but none of the four deserves to be President. I don’t like their taste, especially in making platforms. 

Noel Navales, Metro Manila: Inspiring? I doubt it. Ambition is all I see in all of them. Merlino Quinsay, Ilocos Sur Legarda and Escudero, inspiring? Oh, please. I would like to believe that the Pinoy is better than that. 

C.B. Fundales, Bulacan: They don’t inspire me because nobody has a track record in bringing about desiredchange. The survey is more on popularity and not desirability as leader. 

Choosing the lesser evil

Eddie Yap, Kabankalan City: How can it be inspiring when the top four personalities mentioned by the SWS are the

very same overexposed faces seen frequently on the papers and TV? Well, these personalities have been giving the same promises, same visions and same assurances for the country, but so far, they have not really done anything worth remembering by the Filipino people. It is most likely to be a case again of voting for the lesser evil in the coming elections. 

They still need to prove themselves

Manuel Abejero, Pangasinan: Well, one thing is for sure: They are more popular than capable! Inspiring? More like disappointing! 

Ed Ledesma, Iloilo City: Not really. Any presidentiable would have to have more sterling qualities to inspire me these days! 

Alexander Raquepo, Ilocos Sur: I would only be inspired when I see their relevant accomplishments as government officials visavis their expenditures. 

Cris Rivera, Rizal: I don’t see in them the kind of leadership that can capture the people’s enthusiasm and their resolve to lead RP to ecosocial and political stability. 

J.R. Mondonedo Jr., Parañaque City: I would only find them inspiring if, once elected, they make good their promises to the people, but right now, no. 

Bryan Ferrer, Cavite: I believe that those presidentiables will appear inspiring to Filipinos if they know how to fulfill the responsibilities they are going to tackle. 

Johann Lucas, Quezon City: No, I think it’s too early to see whether the top four presidentiables are inspiring. They still need to prove themselves. I hope this would be a challenge for them to improve their performance. 

What would’ve been more inspiring

L.C. Fiel, Quezon City: I would have been inspired had Tony Meloto been included in the list. His unrelenting quest for the upliftment of those who have less in life is truly exceptional. 

Robert Young Jr., San Juan: It’s pathetic that they are made up of the same crop of traditional politicians. I wish the names could have been those of Eddie Villanueva, Solita Monsod, Grace Padaca or

Among Ed Panlilio. Only they can liberate us from our economic and social malaise. They are the biblical four who can save our Sodom and Gomorrah from destruction. 

Ella Arenas, Pangasinan: Ed Panlilio and Grace Padaca would be inspiring. Siguro naman may konsensya sila, because he is a religious person and she is a TOYM Awardee. They will probably live up to our expectations. 

Nestor Buñag, Mandaluyong City :To each his own. I’m cold to SWS’ top two and cringe at the next two. At the moment, only Miriam Santiago could raise my adrenalin. I pray she reads me. 

Col. Ben Paguirigan Jr., Ret., Zamboanga City: They’re not that inspiring as the survey wants us to believe. They are all trapos who promise every good thing to us, if only to win. MVP of PLDT, yes. 

No Lacson? Who inspires me with the list?

JDub Wenceslao, Quezon City: Probably Escudero for his being a youth advocate while all of the above are as traditional politicians as they can get. Lacson inspires me more since what we need now is someone to lead us with an iron fist into the future. 

Ric Vergara, Calamba City: On the contrary. I found the top four disgusting mainly because of their connection to either PGMA and Erap. Kung pwede pa sana si Jovy Salonga. 

Looking for someone with political will

Rico Fabello, Parañaque City: The eversilent de Castro? The noisy Escudero? The nolose Legarda? The poorglorifying Villar? No, I’m not inspired at all. I need a working president and not a snitch. 

Edgar Artates, Parañaque City: Inspiring? No. They are nothing compared to the stature of Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore or Mahathir of Malaysia, who are my ideal standards to make our country great again.

What we need is an honest leader with political will whose interest is for the whole country, not only for the poor. We need someone who will have the guts to amend our flawed 1987 Constitution and whose platform will include the elimination of political dynasties. Those four leading candidates are the product of media opinion, not of their own achievements. 

Edwin Monares, Rizal: Frankly, they are not inspiring. They represent traditional politics in this country. While there is nothing wrong with being traditional, for the nation to survive in 2010 and beyond, we would need someone with the kind of leadership that carries with him charisma to unite the people and political will to execute the laws of the land, without fear or favor. I don’t see these personalities possessing these two needed elements. One year is still a long time, I am praying that an alternative leader will enter the magic four of the SWS survey down the road and go on to win for the future of Filipinos in 2010 and beyond. 

Jim Veneracion, Naga City: No, and it’s even uninspiring. We need a magnanimous man with an iron hand in the mold of Bayani Fernando and R. Duterte. Both are strict law implementers. 

We only have ourselves to blame

Felmar Rowell Singco, Northern Samar: Not at all. Even if my personal choice, Senator Manny Villar, current president of my party, the Nacionalista Party, is on the list, but I am not inspired because the voters’ choices are not mature enough, not politically sophisticated, and are not carefully weighed in the balance of righteousness, intelligence, and love of country. 

C.K. Yeo, Iloilo City: Kung magka lecheleche and bansa natin, dalawa lang ang dapat sisihin. Mga trapos at mga botante. Walang panibagong lumabas sa survey. ‘Yun pa rin ang pinipili ng mga mamamayan mga pulitiko na walang pagmamalasakit sa bayan. May pagasa pa kaya ang mahal nating bansa? 

They inspire me… to pray

Norman Villamayor, Mandaluyong City: They have truly inspired me to pray more fervently for a miracle to happen for a worthy leader to come forth and save our country from the quagmire of corruption and bureaucracy.  

Surveys are not credible

Leandro Tolentino, Batangas City: Absolutely not. Maybe surveys should be classified into two categories: popularity and notoriety. 

Ishmael Calata, Paranaque City: I have lost confidence in all kinds of polls done in our country and so, I don’t read survey results. I was not interested to know the top four presidentiables in the SWS until it came out in Inbox, forcing me to find out who they are. My God, none of these personalities is inspiring because no one among them has the virtues of the person who will deliver us from our present state of wretchedness and decadence! 

Gerii Calupitan, Muntinlupa City: I’m not hot for, keen on, overjoyed at or starstruck by Loren, Ping, Chiz, Erap, Maretal. Why? A. We know that only a minuscule number of voters would vote for any of them; B. By surveying 1,200 persons, you can’t get the pulse of the majority; C. Hindi na ba tayo nadala kay Erap who led all the surveys in 1998, but look where he brought us: Boracay Mansion, a Midnight Cabinet with Johnny Walker Blue. Just vote wisely, ‘yun lang. 

Dave Velasco, Marinduque: For me, the SWS survey is not inspiring, for this issue is subjective and intended to sway people’s hearts and minds. 

 M. Sunico, Caloocan City: Nope. It’s disgusting to see how a polling outfit could come up with their selection “without anybody commissioning them to do it.” These “honest” guys must be trying to establish a trend, especially when they are identified with the antiestablishment groups of which powerhungry senators and a failed expresident are a big part. They should rename themselves The political trendsetters! 

Lydia Reyes, Bataan: Philippine politics is never inspiring Sorry, but politics in the Philippines doesn’t inspire me at all. 

Diony Yap, Bacolod City: No, mas interasado akong malaman ang survey sa mga kababayan nating nagugutom at kung ano ang matutulong ng mga presidentiables dito. It’s  inspiring! 

Let the games begin!

Ricardo Tolentino, Laoag City: Yes, but I’ll wait until they file their candidacy, when character assassination would begin and all the skeletons in their closets will be brought ought. Yes, Legarda has beauty and brains; Villar has superb management skills. Yes, they all have good credentials to become a good leader, but de Castro’s waterloo is his closeness to GMA.  

Gerry del Cano, Muntinlupa City: Yes, but expect mud throwing and character assassination coming from their political rivals.  

We need to change the system

Nony de Leon, Bulacan: All the presidentiables are doomed to fail as presidents unless and until we make major changes in the form, system and institutions of government. 

Noel Banias, Metro Manila: No matter how popular these four are, I still say that we should revert to the old twoparty system last heard of and enjoyed by the country before the fateful Martial Law years. This way, we can only choose the two candidates that will represent the true majority of the populace and not just some politician with enough funds to run for the highest office in the land. Can’t the joint Houses of Congress do this, if only to bring sanity back in our political system? 

Jimmy Donton, Puerto Princesa City: The Philippines is in a chaotic stage. Some of the personalities mentioned do possess positive qualities that can turn the present political exercises around. However, I strongly believe that if we can go back to the old twoparty system, chances are, we can have a majority president who can govern this diversified republic in terms of language, culture, beliefs and ideology.  

The next Magsaysay?

Dianne Aquino, Caloocan City: Yes, they are inspiring and among the four I’d go for de Castro because I know he’ll continue the road to economic progress. 

Rose Leobrera, Manila: I think I would choose de Castro because it seems that he is the most approachable and the most downtoearth. He also seems to be a silent worker, particularly in the department he handles. 

Germi Sison, Cabanatuan City: Without Chief Justice Reynato Puno and Gov. Ed Panlilio among the presidentiables, I will settle for VP Noli de Castro. He is not as smart as the others, but he is the least dishonest and corrupt. He does not have laurels to boast of and he may turn public service into his lasting legacy to his family and to the Filipino people. He could be another President Ramon Magsaysay. 

Rodolfo Talledo, Angeles City: Noli appeals to the people because he’s hardworking and doesn’t engage in useless bickering, unlike others who thrive in it.  

Will he do an Obama?

Mario Tejada, Ilocos Norte: Of the four, I find Chiz Escudero most inspiring because of his youthful idealism. But my real choice for 2010, one who could be our own version of Lee Kuan Yew, is way down in the list. That is most uninspiring to me. 

Jose Fabello Jr., Cagayan de Oro City: Meaningful changes might happen, hopefully, with Escudero as the country’s next leader. He is inspiring enough to both young and old alike. For the rest, they have been there for so long; promises from them are still being dispensed with, with no end in sight. 

Dennis Acop, Baguio City: Not at all. The next leader must be the opposite of the incumbent. He or she must not be corrupt and must have lots of integrity  meaning he means what he says, he walks his talk. Chiz Escudero may be the better of the lot, so why don’t we give him a break? 

Rags to riches

Juan Deveraturda, Zambales: Except for VP Noli de Castro, the three top contenders, based on the survey, are acceptable to me. However, Escudero is still young, while Legarda is a woman and we don’t need, at this time, another womanpresident. That leaves Villar to be the most inspiring, because his ragstoriches story could inspire the Filipino people to rise up and work hard. 

Benjamin Nillo, Las Piñas City: The result of the SWS survey is very encouraging. Noli de Castro is a goodnatured guy, while Manny Villar is workaholic business tycoon. 

Views expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The STAR. The STAR does not knowingly publish false information and may not be held liable for the views of readers exercising their right to free expression. The publication also reserves the right to edit contributions to this section as it sees fit.

NEXT INBOX QUESTION: Should Charter change be a priority of Congress at this time?