Let the election race begin in the Philippines
The general election in the Philippines is in May 2010 or six months from now. December 1 was the deadline for politicians to file their Declaration of Candidacy. At the end of the day, there were no surprises, no last minute entrants nor withdrawals.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Philippine president since 2001, is not eligible to seek the presidency office again. There was a week-long rumour that instead of quitting politics she would seek a seat in the lower house of Congress. This move drew strong criticism from the oppositions who charged she is trying to prolong her hold on power. They feel that she, as sitting president, would have an unfair advantage over her opponents.
President Arroyo earlier had endorsed former defence chief Gilberto Teodoro as her party’s, Lakas-Kampi-CMD, standard bearer in the battle against the current front-runner, Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., the Liberal Party presidential candidate. Other presidential candidates are: former president Joseph Estrada who left office in disgrace in 2001; billionaire Senator Manuel “Manny” Villar who also filed his candidacy for president; and Mark Jimenez, a former congressman who will run as an independent presidential candidate.
The most anticipated candidacy may be that of World Boxing champion, Manny Pacquiao. He is enormously popular and is affectionately known as Pacman. Recently, he increased his popularity by being the first boxer to win seven titles in seven different weight divisions.
Pacquiao is seeking a seat as a congressman in the province of Sarangani on the island of Mindanao. He will be standing for the Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (Athletic Heroes Force), a party-list group which aims to assist Filipino athletes.
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