FPJ should have sent Angara to PCCI.

(From Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Byline: Belinda Olivares-Cunanan

LISTENING to Raul Roco over the radio as he roused up a huge crowd of supporters at the Folk Arts Theater yesterday, I felt his speech was vintage Roco. It was full of showmanship as he urged his kababayan to rally ("susugurin natin ang Malacanang pag hindi sila nakinig"), playing on the battle cry of Andres Bonifacio. Roco is a good speaker and an effective communicator, especially since he nearly always speaks in Filipino, which is why he resonates with the college crowd from where his volunteers come. Contrast this with the President's Cabinet members and media handlers who seem to always be targeting Ambassador Francis Ricciardone. But more than anything, he has that gift of making the Filipino feel good about himself as he constantly harps about the good old Filipino virtues and seeks to revive the Pinoy's faith in himself. His campaign line, "HOPE," capitalizes on it.

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Roco's problem, however, is still how to convince the voters-and the financiers-that he has what it takes to translate his vast popularity into votes; this uncertainty could affect the flow of funds terribly critical to a presidential campaign. Moreover, surveys show that while he remains popular, that popularity has been going down. His problem is how to sustain it, not how not to peak too early, which his strategists fear. Note that the recent Pulse Asia survey painted a scenario, among others, that showed Roco at 30 percent, closely followed by Fernando Poe Jr. and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at 28 percent each; but Roco's rating is down from a previous high, whereas GMA's rating has been climbing steadily from very low.

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At Senate President Franklin Drilon's 58th birthday celebration last Friday evening, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry leader Miguel Varela told me that the PCCI was quite impressed by GMA's address before them earlier that day, and in fact, the members gave her a standing ovation. From accounts, the PCCI was also impressed by Roco who joined Sen. Panfilo Lacson in the candidates' forum the next day. Roco promised to battle corruption while Lacson vowed to restore peace and order. But reports say the business leaders were upset that FPJ was a no-show-not bitten by stage fright daw, but indisposed. What aggravated it was that FPJ sent Sen. Vicente Sotto to read a five-page message from him, when it would have been better if he sent Sen. Edgardo Angara to answer the businessmen's queries about his program and ease their anxieties a bit. After all, FPJ couldn't have gotten his LDP faction's blessing without Angara. And if he is elected, Angara would be the real power behind him.