2010 Forecast

Updated at 6:30 PM

I have two years to prepare myself to eat my own foot, but I think and feel that this will be how things will turn out in the 2010 national elections…

The Presidency

It’s tough to float names, but I think the following people will rise up as contenders for the Presidency in 2010:

• Manny Villar
• Mar Roxas
• Bayani Fernando
• Ping Lacson
• Ely “Spike” Pamatong

I would personally campaign for Spike Boy for my own personal amusement, but it will be a cut-throat race between Mr. Palengke (Roxas) and Mr. Sipag at Tiyaga (Villar). I’m betting on Roxas; no, not because we met, but because so far, he has the youth on his side. Villar is just too trapo for most people I know. Not that he deserves the epithet, but I don’t know if his rags-to-riches story will work too well with the public.

Some side-notes on BF: I think that he’s the dark horse of the 2010 Presidential campaign.  As much as I don’t like Bayani, I have the gut feeling that if anyone will pull a surprise (if not a victory) in 2010, it definitely has to be him.  The challenge to BF is to expand the vote outside Metro Manila… although in an election where the Manila vote counts for a lot, don’t be surprised if BF lives up to the hype.

Ping has always been a strong contender for the Presidency, but he simply can’t translate votes for the Executive.  He’s always up in the running for the Presidency, but he just doesn’t win.  I don’t really know why.

If there’s anything that list would show, it’s that 2010 wouldn’t be a referendum on Arroyo.  More on that next time.

The Vice-Presidency

Again, it’s tough to float names, but I think the following will rise up as contenders for the second-highest post of the land:

• Loren Legarda
• Alan Peter Cayetano
• Chiz Escudero
• Jamby Madrigal
• Kiko Pangilinan

I’d be lying if I didn’t bet on a victory for Chiz, setting this scenario.  The “automatic” choice would be Loren, but I doubt if the public perception of her is still the same positive one she had in droves before.  Chiz, for all intents and purposes, is the Barack Obama of the Philippines; he has charisma points and kind of positions himself on the “audacity of hope” agenda that is something from Barack’s playbook.

I personally would like to see Chiz and Alan duke it out for the Vice-Presidency of the land.  Say what you will about Alan, but you can only imagine the youth vote taking center stage here.  As for Jamby… well, if you make waves, then you have to have ambitions.

I should add Jinggoy Estrada or Bong Revilla in this list, but I don’t think “Erap Magic” or star power will make them strong contenders for the post.  I think that both these guys do stand a chance, but we all have to wait for that one good reason why they’re worth it.

And then there’s the dark horse: Kiko Pangilinan.  Kiko blends star power with political magic, and I can honestly say that if Chiz loses (there’s a good chance he will), Kiko will be the next Vice-President of the Philippines.

Senators

And here we go… time to do some foot-eating in the future.  Here are just a few of who I’m thinking of right now:

• Romy Macalintal. I don’t know why, but I just have a feeling that the election lawyer will seek election.  Macalintal has this talent of coming into the public consciousness come election season.  Besides, if we’re talking about implicit candidacies, Macalintal has a billboard for that joint-pain thing.
• Prospero Pichay. I’m not saying that Pichay will win, all I’m saying here is that Pichay will run, and have a strong showing.  What intrigues me the most about Pichay is that unlike the other members of the previous administrative ticket, he wasn’t really an “embarrassment;” he actually drew votes on the basis of a novelty campaign that involved a sucky catchphrase and bok choy. Here’s to hoping that I can be proven wrong by the former Congressman.
• Joey de Venecia/Jun Lozada. I don’t know, I don’t want to know, but I have the feeling.  JoeyDV can be the heir-apparent to JDV.  Lozada… well, only time will tell.  I personally shudder at the thought, but that’s another story.
• Willie Revillame/Joey de Leon. Figures.  If either one of them wins… heaven knows what I’m going to do.  Expect privilege speeches that will involve “sinungaling at mandaraya” and rants about ratings.  Forget about eating my foot, I will think about making a promise to immolate myself in front of Batasan.
• Danton Remoto. I may disagree with Danton (his blog here) on more than a few occasions, but now that I know that he’s in the running for the Senate, I think that the LGBT agenda will have a strong showing knowing that Danton is representing the group at the legislative level.  So for all you haters who think that Marocharim should be cruicified for being a “homophobe,” there you go: I support Danton Remoto’s bid.
• Jarius Bondoc. The guy was once backed by Jovito Salonga.  Another journalist in the Senate?  Loren Legarda 2.0?  I hope not, although if you’re asking me if I’d support the man’s bid… hmmm… I guess I would.
• Winston Garcia. This short list would not be complete without the mention of a guy who has positioned himself well enough to jettison (?) himself to a Senate seat.  Winston Garcia positioned himself very well within the public eye with the Meralco feud.  I rue the day it happens, but never say never.

Well, so much for a positive outlook.  I’ll be 25 come 2010, so you have to wait 10 years.