Newcomers win Senate elections

Manila: The expected victory of untested Senate newcomers such as Paolo Beningo “Bam” Aquino of the ruling Liberal Party (LP), and Nancy Binay of the United National Alliance is testament to the strength of President Benigno Aquino and Vice-President Jejomar Binay as endorsers and king-makers, said observers.

In the recent survey of the Social Weather Station (SWS), President Aquino’s popularity rating was 72 and Binay 77.

The success of their endorsement of greenhorn politicians to the senate, which relies on the strength of name recall, political families and their corporate backers, a unique culture of Philippine elections, strengthens the notion that political dynasty, however much it is criticised in this year’s mid-term polls, will remain part of Philippine politics for a long time.

“The 2013 senatorial election is a gauge of popularity and endorsement power between P-Noy and VP Binay. The public will be watching who receives more votes between Nancy Binay and Bam Aquino. I am sure both parties and party leaders are conscious of this,” Senator Ralph Recto told the Inquirer.

Based on the latest SWS survey, the young Binay ranked between third and fourth, and the young Aquino, nineth, in the winning circle of 12 Senate seats.

“[VP] Jojo [Binay] remains immensely popular but this seems to have benefited only Nancy,” Sen, Sergio Osmena, an Aquino ally, also told the Inquirer.

That could be true following predictions that nine of the so-called P-noy (Aquino’s) team that he endorsed were expected to win, leaving Binay’s team only three victors.

From President Aquino’s winning team, only the young Aquino belongs to the president’s ruling Liberal Party. Two other Liberal Party members who were endorsed by President Aquino, former Senators Ramon Magsaysay and Jamby Madrigal, ranked low, between 14th and 18th.

SWS identified the nine winning senatorial candidates who were endorsed by Aquino as Senator Loren Legarda, first, Senator Alan peter Cayetano, second, Senator Francis Escudero, third-fourth, newcomer Grace Poe Llamanzares, fifth, Congresswoman Cynthia Villar, sixth-seventh, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel, eighth; Aquino, ninth, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, 10th-11th, and Senator Antonio Trillanes, 10-11th.

SWS said the three winning senatorial candidates endorsed by Binay are his daughter Binay, 3rd-4th; local government leader Joseph Victor Gomez Ejercito (Estrada),sixth-seventh; Senator Gregorio Honasan, 12th.

Two others like Congressman Jack Enrile and former Senator Migs Zubiri shared the 12th rank, with Zubir1, trailing behind at 14th.

It is initially easy to see President Aquino’s victory as an endorser. But eight of them belong to other parties. Legarda is with the National People’s Coalition (led by Aquino’s uncle Jose Cojuangco, but also endorsed by Binay). Escudero and Poe-Llamanzares, both independent candidates were also endorsed by Binay and his ally, ousted President Joseph Estrada. Cayetano, Trillanes, and Villar belong to the Nationalista Party, a former opposition party that coalesced with LP.

Aquino’s two other winning teammate, Senators Pimental and Angara both belong to PDP Laban and LDP, parties that were once affiliated with former President Corazon Aquino following the removal of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos.