NOTES

2 November 1997

This weekend, I watched--for the first time--a series of full-length, current affairs programs on the Net via ABS-CBN’s Web site. The power of the Internet in making available an enormous amount of information in text and graphics is fascinating enough for me, so the use of my computer to view “live stream” TV programming was totally awesome.

There were a few glitches such as an occasional few seconds of “net congestion.” (The 30-minute On-Line talk show hosted by Gene Orejana was actually interrupted an average of once per show, so it wasn't too bad.) Net video is also not as clear and “natural” as normal video. The screen is small and, I guess to make electronic transfer via phone lines possible, lesser number of frames are used, so motions are somewhat like a series of snap shots. Overall, I was very impressed. Watching interviews of Senators Maceda and Tatad and Mayor Lim--key political players of the day--was a treat. Pilita’s Awit Tanghalan was not bad entertainment either.

To those who think that Filipinos overseas (estimated at 4 million) are wala ng pakialam sa Pilipinas, think again. We’re in touch. We know what the issues are. Most, if not all, have families left in the country, and, as a recent study indicated, the remittances of Pinoy expatriates represent up to 80 percent of the country’s foreign exchange receipts; we certainly will not hesitate to put our two cents worth on any issue just like any other Filipino.

I have never been a fan of Senator Tatad. It’s wonderful of him to focus on the issue of morality, but I find it hard to ignore a few disturbing issues about the man. First, is it just me or does any one else notice how arrogant and self-righteous he has always been? The sneer he wears today reminds me of the same sneer he wore in 1972 when he read the declaration of Martial Law. (I was too young then, but I’ve seen the footage years later.) Second, did he not serve as the campaign manager of Alejo Santos, NP’s presidential candidate, in 1981? As far as I know, that election was one of the most insulting political hoaxes foisted by Marcos on the Filipino people. Before he died, Santos admitted having received tons of money from the administration to make him run against Marcos--primarily to display to the world a semblance of democracy in the country. What did that make of Tatad? Third, he is a certified, party-hopping trapo: from the Marcos KBL, Tatad joined the NP, then the GAD, then the LDP. Now that he has refused to join the LDP coalition with the PMP and NPC, he will need to find another political party.

Tatad's performance in the 1995 senatorial race is one of the reasons why Miranda and Mangahas of SWS often insist that there is no such thing as a Catholic vote. While Tatad was the only candidate who mouthed the official "pro-life, pro-family, and pro-God" line of the Catholic Church, exit polls indicated that only 38 percent of Catholics voted for him. On the other hand, Senator Flavier--thoroughly bashed by the Church because of his support for family planning--received a much higher 53 percent. While that clearly suggests that the Church has no monolithic influence over its members, it is important to note that the two candidates involved are exceptional cases: Flavier--because of his solid track record as a public servant and an extraodinary, self-deprecating sense of humor--had endeared himself to many voters, so any Church attacks on his fitness for office had a greatly diminished impact. Tatad--because he was not the most morally credible candidate--was difficult to sell to voters, so political proselytizing by the Church was less effective. Discounting these variables (mis)leads people to the simplistic conclusion that the Church does not count in elections.

I was impressed by Mayor Lim’s refusal to join the administration party on the simple ground that he does not want to be viewed as a “political butterfly.” General Lim, unlike General De Villa, is very marketable. Tough. Principled. Firm. Decisive. Telegenic. It’s not surprising to see him lead the pack of potential senatorial candidates. Packaged as a presidential candidate and provided with adequate logistics, he can win. Unfortunately, Lim is stuck with the cash-strapped PRP (plus Miriam’s definitely running) and, in relation to the Lakas-NUCD camp, he is a complete outsider.

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