WOMEN AS KINGMAKERS
April 25, 2004 | 12:00am
One of the things being in politics has taught me is that men are not a reasoned or reasonable sex. In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man; if you want anything done, ask a woman.–former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Behind every great man, there is a surprised woman.–Maryon Pearson, wife of Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson
Who are the scintillating superwomen who will become the First Ladies of the Philippines in 2010 or 2016? Korina Sanchez, Sharon Cuneta Pangilinan, or Kris Aquino? The adage "behind the success of a man is a woman" has not been more real than in our chaotic Philippine politics today. More surprising than the phenomenon of powerful men as "under the saya" is that women in the Philippines are now becoming kingmakers – helping their lovers gain power as never before and in the most breathtaking ways.
Despite the vitriolic complaints of senatorial bet Miriam Defensor Santiago that other candidates like Mar Roxas allegedly violated the 180-minute time limit in radio advertisements with 3,296.30 minutes and that he violated the TV ads limit of 120 minutes with his 188.15 minutes, she failed to point out one more crucial secret weapon of Mar Roxas in surpassing her in recent senatoriable surveys. Actually it is not so secret that TV broadcast celebrity Korina Sanchez has almost single-handedly helped catapult the Wharton-educated and former Wall Street banker from relative obscurity with the masses into a hot rising star in Philippine politics. Have you monitored how many times Korina and her TV or radio programs’ co-hosts have been plugging her "suitor" almost daily? Would the equally fiery Korina take up the cudgels for Mar and publicly match the fury of Miriam?
Is the surprising and sudden romance angle linking Korina Sanchez to most-eligible-bachelor Mar Roxas similar to those well-scripted showbiz love teams ideal for public consumption but not for real? Or is this supposed blossoming romance a possible political partnership in the works, in the same tradition as the once unbeatable Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos tandem that was solemnized in a high-profile Malacañang wedding and which subsequently trounced political foes in many elections?
According to another female kingmaker behind Mar Roxas, his wealthy landowning mother July Araneta Roxas, her son is indeed dating Korina Sanchez. She claimed that "the mother is the last to know" about this rumored romance. However, she clarified that this dating between the two famous singles has not grown "that serious yet." If stoking the smoldering rumors of his dating Korina Sanchez is just part of a political strategy for Mar Roxas, then it is a master stroke of propaganda genius.
Whether for showbiz politics or for real, a fully consummated Mar-Korina love team would prove almost unbeatable in politics – combining impeccable political pedigree, wealth, and mass charisma. Perhaps only a Kiko Pangilinan-Sharon Cuneta tandem would be a formidable challenge.
After failing to match Kris Aquino to Mar Roxas in past columns, this writer now offers unsolicited advice to the talented couple to hold a high-profile wedding similar to that of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos. We wish them marital bliss and blockbuster political success. Hopefully, Mar and Korina will have the guts and the social conscience to repudiate the nation’s feudal and corrupt politics of the past hundred years dominated by the likes of his Roxas and Araneta forebears, and use their charisma and influence to turn Philippine society upside down with far-reaching reforms!
Last Sunday on The Buzz, Kris Aquino defied her mother Cory Aquino’s warning "to keep quiet" on the annulment case of Parañaque City Mayor Joey Marquez, and she emotionally professed undying love for him on national TV and wished the comedian-basketball player future success. Kris Aquino publicly lamented her sadness that their love affair failed. If that unpopular romance was not rocked by so many crises, Kris Aquino could have made Joey Marquez a most formidable national politician. To have a pretty, smart, and tireless Kris Aquino as a politician’s wife is like having a combination of Britney Spears and Hillary Clinton as your future First Lady! Is that the main reason Mark Lapid, Pampanga gubernatorial bet, is now said to be assiduously courting Kris?
Another woman who is yet untested as potential kingmaker in the future include former bold actress Assunta de Rossi.
She defied her own family and shocked the nation by becoming the wife of widower Congressman Jules Ledesma, whose family used to be a wealthy sugar haciendero family in Negros Occidental.
Another potential kingmaker is the voluptuous actress Gretchen Barretto, whose partner Tony Boy Cojuangco is steadily gaining political clout as the new boss of ambitious television network ABC 5 and also owner of the revitalized Bank of Commerce. But will the Ateneo and Stanford graduate Tony Boy Cojuangco run for public office in the future like his uncle Danding Cojuangco and aunt Cory C. Aquino? Another question is if Gretchen Barretto would be willing to or is capable of trading her leisurely life for the rough-and-tumble dirty wars of Philippine politics.
Vilma Santos was so effective as campaigner for her younger husband Senator Ralph Recto. He even registered her name "Vilma Santos" to be counted as his votes in the past election. However, it seems this female kingmaker has decided she wants to be her own political kingpin. Surprisingly, the award-winning actress has so far done exceedingly well as Lipa City Mayor, unlike many other showbiz stars who are mediocre political leaders. Instead of becoming First Lady, Vilma seems destined for political leadership.
Despite being consistently humble and quiet in this noisy election season, the most powerful potential kingmaker is Megastar Sharon Cuneta due to her credibility, which cuts across all social classes from the masses to the elite. If she can be the successful celebrity endorser of a dizzying variety of products and firms such as Alaska Milk, Citibank, Security Bank, McDonald’s and Century Tuna, Sharon would prove more effective than even Korina Sanchez or Kris Aquino in being the political campaigner of Liberal Party Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan in a presidential race.
Can our first ladies – whoever they may be in the future – help save our republic from the vicious cycle of cynicism, corruption, and inept governance which have shackled the Philippines for centuries?
Thanks very much for all your suggestions, comments and messages. Continue writing to wilson_lee_flores@hotmail.com or wilson_lee_flores@newyork.com or wilson_lee_floresyahoo.com or P.O. Box 14277, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.
Behind every great man, there is a surprised woman.–Maryon Pearson, wife of Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson
Who are the scintillating superwomen who will become the First Ladies of the Philippines in 2010 or 2016? Korina Sanchez, Sharon Cuneta Pangilinan, or Kris Aquino? The adage "behind the success of a man is a woman" has not been more real than in our chaotic Philippine politics today. More surprising than the phenomenon of powerful men as "under the saya" is that women in the Philippines are now becoming kingmakers – helping their lovers gain power as never before and in the most breathtaking ways.
Despite the vitriolic complaints of senatorial bet Miriam Defensor Santiago that other candidates like Mar Roxas allegedly violated the 180-minute time limit in radio advertisements with 3,296.30 minutes and that he violated the TV ads limit of 120 minutes with his 188.15 minutes, she failed to point out one more crucial secret weapon of Mar Roxas in surpassing her in recent senatoriable surveys. Actually it is not so secret that TV broadcast celebrity Korina Sanchez has almost single-handedly helped catapult the Wharton-educated and former Wall Street banker from relative obscurity with the masses into a hot rising star in Philippine politics. Have you monitored how many times Korina and her TV or radio programs’ co-hosts have been plugging her "suitor" almost daily? Would the equally fiery Korina take up the cudgels for Mar and publicly match the fury of Miriam?
Is the surprising and sudden romance angle linking Korina Sanchez to most-eligible-bachelor Mar Roxas similar to those well-scripted showbiz love teams ideal for public consumption but not for real? Or is this supposed blossoming romance a possible political partnership in the works, in the same tradition as the once unbeatable Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos tandem that was solemnized in a high-profile Malacañang wedding and which subsequently trounced political foes in many elections?
According to another female kingmaker behind Mar Roxas, his wealthy landowning mother July Araneta Roxas, her son is indeed dating Korina Sanchez. She claimed that "the mother is the last to know" about this rumored romance. However, she clarified that this dating between the two famous singles has not grown "that serious yet." If stoking the smoldering rumors of his dating Korina Sanchez is just part of a political strategy for Mar Roxas, then it is a master stroke of propaganda genius.
Whether for showbiz politics or for real, a fully consummated Mar-Korina love team would prove almost unbeatable in politics – combining impeccable political pedigree, wealth, and mass charisma. Perhaps only a Kiko Pangilinan-Sharon Cuneta tandem would be a formidable challenge.
After failing to match Kris Aquino to Mar Roxas in past columns, this writer now offers unsolicited advice to the talented couple to hold a high-profile wedding similar to that of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos. We wish them marital bliss and blockbuster political success. Hopefully, Mar and Korina will have the guts and the social conscience to repudiate the nation’s feudal and corrupt politics of the past hundred years dominated by the likes of his Roxas and Araneta forebears, and use their charisma and influence to turn Philippine society upside down with far-reaching reforms!
Last Sunday on The Buzz, Kris Aquino defied her mother Cory Aquino’s warning "to keep quiet" on the annulment case of Parañaque City Mayor Joey Marquez, and she emotionally professed undying love for him on national TV and wished the comedian-basketball player future success. Kris Aquino publicly lamented her sadness that their love affair failed. If that unpopular romance was not rocked by so many crises, Kris Aquino could have made Joey Marquez a most formidable national politician. To have a pretty, smart, and tireless Kris Aquino as a politician’s wife is like having a combination of Britney Spears and Hillary Clinton as your future First Lady! Is that the main reason Mark Lapid, Pampanga gubernatorial bet, is now said to be assiduously courting Kris?
Another woman who is yet untested as potential kingmaker in the future include former bold actress Assunta de Rossi.
She defied her own family and shocked the nation by becoming the wife of widower Congressman Jules Ledesma, whose family used to be a wealthy sugar haciendero family in Negros Occidental.
Another potential kingmaker is the voluptuous actress Gretchen Barretto, whose partner Tony Boy Cojuangco is steadily gaining political clout as the new boss of ambitious television network ABC 5 and also owner of the revitalized Bank of Commerce. But will the Ateneo and Stanford graduate Tony Boy Cojuangco run for public office in the future like his uncle Danding Cojuangco and aunt Cory C. Aquino? Another question is if Gretchen Barretto would be willing to or is capable of trading her leisurely life for the rough-and-tumble dirty wars of Philippine politics.
Vilma Santos was so effective as campaigner for her younger husband Senator Ralph Recto. He even registered her name "Vilma Santos" to be counted as his votes in the past election. However, it seems this female kingmaker has decided she wants to be her own political kingpin. Surprisingly, the award-winning actress has so far done exceedingly well as Lipa City Mayor, unlike many other showbiz stars who are mediocre political leaders. Instead of becoming First Lady, Vilma seems destined for political leadership.
Despite being consistently humble and quiet in this noisy election season, the most powerful potential kingmaker is Megastar Sharon Cuneta due to her credibility, which cuts across all social classes from the masses to the elite. If she can be the successful celebrity endorser of a dizzying variety of products and firms such as Alaska Milk, Citibank, Security Bank, McDonald’s and Century Tuna, Sharon would prove more effective than even Korina Sanchez or Kris Aquino in being the political campaigner of Liberal Party Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan in a presidential race.
Can our first ladies – whoever they may be in the future – help save our republic from the vicious cycle of cynicism, corruption, and inept governance which have shackled the Philippines for centuries?
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