THE CENTER RELEASES ITS CHOICES FOR THE SENATE

           After a 90-day campaign period for national candidates, we at the Issues and Advocacy Center (The CENTER) have monitored not only how each candidate presented their platform of governance, but we tracked down the reaction of the Filipino public particularly on how the candidates and their advocacies were received.

           We also looked at the past and current records of each of the senatorial candidates and used these as basis in our decision to choose the composition of the Magic 12 that we have included in our sample ballot that we have begun distributing to our Listening Posts throughout the major regional centers that we have in place.

           If you’re wondering what the Listening Posts is all about, these are our trusted colleagues who monitor the economic, social and political state of affairs in every major regional centers throughout the country. As stated in our organization’s brief, the feedbacks we receive from these Listening Posts is what adds accuracy to the pre-poll surveys of Pulso ng Pilipino.

We do not only measure the sentiments of respondents but we compare it with what the reports of our intel network through these LPs which is why The CENTER is able to pick every nuance that influence the political scenarios in the country. this system was developed by the late President Fidel V. Ramos himself during the presidential campaign in 1992 which we have maintained and are now using as part of our research.

           We must remember that the Senate is a legislative body and its primary task is to legislate or to craft the laws of the land, review existing laws for the purpose of enacting the necessary amendments to make these laws relevant with the times, to exercise its oversight functions relative to government spending and performance, and to examine and review the treatises entered into by the government with other foreign governments.

           If ever the Senate decides to conduct or call a public hearing on a given issue, its goal and objective should only be in aid of legislation which means that the Senate hearings must translate into the preparation of the intended piece of legislation which when approved by the Senate en banc and by the President will be added to the laws of the land.  

           This is the reason that the names in our sample ballot was carefully screened and have left out of the list those whom The CENTER dubbed as non-performing assets or those candidates who will attend every Senate session just to answer the roll call but who will only sit in deafening silence for the next six years.

           Also left out of the list of The CENTER are candidates who will deviate from their primary duties and responsibilities as legislators and who will only turn the Senate into an investigative arm rather than as a law-making body.

           And so, following a review of the credentials of the 64 senatorial candidates using our own yardstick, The CENTER has narrowed down its choice to the following:

𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐭𝐢 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐁𝐁𝐘 𝐁𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐲 (𝐍𝐏𝐂), 𝐒𝐞𝐧. 𝐏𝐈𝐀 𝐂𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐨 (𝐍𝐏), 𝐒𝐞𝐧. 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐎 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐚 (𝐏𝐃𝐏 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐧), 𝐒𝐞𝐧. 𝐆𝐎 𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐆𝐨 (𝐏𝐃𝐏 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐧), 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐧. 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐎 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐧 (𝐑𝐏), 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐧. 𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐚𝐜𝐬𝐨𝐧 (𝐈𝐧𝐝), 𝐑𝐞𝐩. 𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐚 (𝐈𝐧𝐝), 𝐒𝐞𝐧. 𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐄 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐬 (𝐍𝐏), 𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐃𝐈 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐳𝐚 (𝐈𝐧𝐝), 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨 (𝐍𝐏𝐂), 𝐒𝐞𝐧. 𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐒 ‘𝐓𝐎𝐋’ 𝐓𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐨 (𝐏𝐅𝐏) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐩. 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫 (𝐍𝐏).

           Remember also that elections are always a personal choice. You may or may not agree with our choices and that’s how democracy works. What is primary is the need for HOPE (Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections) to manifest itself on May 12, 2025 and for the Filipino voters to be wise in their decision.