It is one week before the National and Local Election of 2013. I’m done with some research on the senatorial candidates and I already come up with the 12 senators that I'll be voting on May 13, 2013.
My research is also finished when it comes to the local candidates here in Pasig City, particularly the candidates for Vice Mayor and Congressman. I no longer bother doing some research on the opponents of Maribel Eusebio since they are almost unknown. I also didn't research individually on the candidates for councilor since I'll be voting the same party as with my chosen Vice Mayor.
There are 4 candidates for the Vice Mayor post but I believe it would be a close fight between the two councilors Iyo Christian C. Bernardo and Rodrigo B. Asilo. For a busy guy like me who can't afford to listen to these candidates speeches on their campaign trail, I rely solely on the Internet to research what their political platforms are.
In the Red Corner, Maribel Eusebio and Rodrigo Asilo.
Let's start with Rodrigo B. Asilo since I'm a resident of Pinagbuhatan. Every day on my way to and from work, I passed by the Pinagbuhatan Barangay Hall on my way home to Nagpayong (a sub-Barangay of Pinagbuhatan). Although I've been living in Pinagbuhatan for more than 9 years, I was never interested with politics until recently when I began blogging.
Pinagbuhatan, particularly Nagpayong, is considered as Asilo-Eusebio Country. I don't know the history of this place but what I've heard is that Nagpayong was purchased by the City Government of Pasig City and was distributed (sold) to the former squatters of Nagpayong, through the efforts of Rodrigo B. Asilo and his wife as well as that of the Eusebio clan.
In my 9 years of stay here at Pinagbuhatan, I haven't seen any change at all when it comes to infrastructure, except for the repair of Sandoval Avenue (which was done in time for the election). I also never saw Rodrigo B. Asilo and his wife, the Barangay Chairman of Pinagbuhatan, here at Nagpayong.
I Google Rodrigo B. Asilo to find out what his plans for Pasig City and I'm surprised that he didn't even invested on a propaganda video (or a Facebook account) for voters like me who's on the Internet all the time. The only video I found on YouTube about him is his dance number in the tune of his campaign jingle. Speaking of his campaign jingle, I hear about it every day since he has this tricycle that plays it near the Day Care Center on a daily basis. In fact, it's past midnight and I heard that jingle again! Probably the tricycle is at Sandoval Avenue on its way to Pinagbuhatan proper. His jingle goes:
- Asilo, Asilo
- Rodrigo Asilo
- Ating iboto
- Vice Mayor... Ruding Asilo
- Maasahan mo sa oras ng kagipitan...
- … Lahat ng mahihirap ay kanyang tinutulungan…
- (and it is followed by the acronym of his name and what it stands for)
- A – Adhikain, kaunlaran ng bayan
- S – Sinusulong karapatan ng karamihan
- I – Inaangat antas ng kabuhayan
- L – Laging handang tumulong sa nangangailangan
- O – Ora mismo, aksyon agad!
- Asilo!
I can say that his tactics (continuous playing of his jingle song) is very effective since the kids in our neighborhood can sing along to it. If I Google "Rodrigo Asilo" on the Net, I get very few results. I got one that mentioned his involvement in the Supplementary Feeding Program and the other one is the resolution to a property scam in Pasig City. He has no other information on the Net other than that. I can't even get his details from the Net and he has very few fan-pages on Facebook.
Liberal Party Iyo Caruncho Bernardo but with some blessing from President Pnoy?
In contrast to his opponent, Iyo Christian C. Bernardo is very visible online. He has SEVERAL Facebook fan-page accounts, a website and even blog posts that are suspicious (those that contain 1 or 2 articles and talks only about him). He also invested on an infomercial on YouTube and it's a good one. He mentioned his family background and what he wanted to do as a future Vice Mayor. He's very good with his ad campaign.
His personal information is everywhere on the Net: Iyo Christian C. Bernardo is the grandchild of former Pasig Mayor Emiliano Caruncho Jr (1956-1986), nephew of Emiliano Caruncho III (Pasig Councilor from 1988-1994) and his aunt is former Pasig Vice Mayor Lorna Bernardo. Some of Iyo Caruncho's dreams for Pasig City are Free Wi-Fi, Tax Discount, and Scholarship Grants for Teachers, among others.
I don't know him personally but when I saw his picture, I remember this incident last 2012 Pasig City Day. I attended the thanksgiving mass in front of the City Hall and I was there very early in the morning. There are few people who were sitting on the front row, including me. Then, an aide of one of the councilors approached me and asked if I could vacate my seat. I vacated my seat but I took a picture of who the councilor is so that I could take note of him. I reviewed that picture today and found out that it was Iyo Bernardo – with his spike hairstyle!
Iyo Christian C. Bernardo and Rodrigo Asilo during the Araw ng Pasig 2012 celebration. I was sitting on that chair (that the woman in white occupies) when the aide of Iyo Bernardo asked me to vacate it.
So I'm now on a dilemma – I have to choose between two evils. One is a traditional politician who relies on jingles and the mass votes of informal settlers (including me). The other is hip, has hordes of followers on Facebook and (suspicious) blogs, and a bit arrogant (first impression). Rodrigo B. Asilo is on the same party as with Maribel Eusebio (which I'm not a big fan) and has Red as official color. His opponent, Iyo Christian C. Bernardo, is somehow being endorsed by President Pnoy and has Yellow as his official color.
After writing this blog post, I decided to vote for Iyo Christian C. Bernardo for Vice Mayor of Pasig City. I’ll also vote his councilors. When it comes to Congressman, I decided to go for Jun Salatandre. I probably write about that soon.
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