The next Philippine national elections may still be a little over a year away from today but the various personalities believed to be among the “2010 senatoriables” and “2010 presidentiables” have started to make their presence felt here in Mindanao.
Just a few days ago, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay paid Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao a visit. He was the guest of honor in an SK-related event, I think. However, sources told me that he also proceeded to the Province of Bukidnon to meet some political allies.
Care to guess what they discussed?
Senator Mar Roxas, on the other hand, has also been visible around Mindanao as of late. Touted as the Liberal Party’s presidential bet, Senator Mar has been doing the rounds here as commencement exercises speaker.
Same thing with the solon from Sorsogon, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero. He was in Iligan City, Davao City, Ozamis City, Cagayan de Oro City and Maguindanao recently. Chiz’s office also released some video greetings wherein he spoke in various dialects including Bisaya.
Check out his Kaamulan 2009 greeting for the people of Bukidnon (this video also appears in Bukidnon Online):
The Office of Senator Richard Gordon, meanwhile, has also been on a roll as of late. I’ve been receiving a ton of press releases/media statements from his office.
Another Mindanaoan believed to have very good chances of winning a Senatorial seat has also slowly but surely started to become more and more visible — Atty. Adel Tamano.
With these types of direct and “subtle” PR efforts, you can’t help but wonder if the campaign season has already begun. When does being a public servant end and being a “presidentiable” or “senatoriable” begin?
And more importantly — given all their visits and PR campaigns here in Mindanao — do you think they’ve tickled the Mindanaoan’s fancy?

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Sen. Chiz Escudero urges Malacanang to diverte imported rice to Mindanao refugees
July 9, 2009
Commentary, Cotabato, Food, Government, Headline, Mindanaoan Update, News, Personalities, iligan city
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At least someone’s thinking about Mindanao and Mindanao refugees! Opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero yesterday said that the government should act immediately to divert shipments of imported rice to central Mindanao so that the 380,000 refugees in evacuation centers won’t go hungry after a UN agency halted its food relief operations in the region.
“We are faced with a humanitarian crisis that could become a disaster if this administration fails to act quickly to fill in the gap left by the UN World Food Program,” Escudero said.
“Part of the rice we have been shipping in from abroad can be diverted to the ports of General Santos and Cotabato City. This will not make a dent in the NFA’s 82-day buffer stock,” he said.
He also called on the government to ensure the safety of the staff of the UN agency which suspended its program on Wednesday after a series of bombings in Cotabato and Iligan cities that killed six and wounded dozens of other people.
At the same time, Escudero reiterated his call for the resumption of talks between the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) even as he condemned the brutal terrorist attacks which have mostly killed civilians.
“We are now reaping the results of a failed peace policy. The old ways of thinking have not worked. Perhaps it is time for the people to find novel ways to stop the bloodletting,” he said.