Florendo, Martina Jeunesse B.

BS Architecture 2

Socio 1/TThS 10:30-11:30

We just concluded the recent national and local elections in our country. Before the election,
several debates were conducted among the presidential candidates and vice presidential
candidates and with this debate, we were enlightened on the backgrounds and platforms of each
candidate. One interesting Presidential candidates was Grace Poe, who is a foundling child, who
became popular during the senatorial election, due to her adoptive celebrity parents. Sen. Poe is
the first lady senator to serve as chair for the committee on public order and dangerous drugs.
Over the years, she has spent her career standing for the rights of Filipino people.
One of the questions thrown to her during the debate was the question of her citizenship. On
December 23, 2015, the COMELEC en banc formally disqualified Poe from running as president
in the 2016 elections for failing to meet the 10 year residency requirement. On March 8, 2016,
she was finally considered as a Filipino citizen after the Supreme Court ruled that she is a natural
born Filipino citizen. She returned to the Philippines form the U.S in 2004, therefore she meets
the 10 year residency requirement to run the presidential election. Banking on the stardom of her
parents and the massive wave of encouragement from her supporters, Senator Grace PoeLlamanzares has her eyes focused to take the key of Malacanan from President Benigno Aquino
III.
With the information given about Poe, lets name a few of Grace Poes platform. 1)She plans to
improve agriculture including land reform, irrigation and mechanization. 2)Improve
infrastructures including the internet. 3) Provide government- supported industrializations to
induce manufacturing and create more jobs. 4) Improved transparency with the enactment of the
freedom of information law. 5) Respect for human rights and the needs of vulnerable sectors,
including persons with disabilities, indigenous people, the urban poor, women, children,
foundlings, the LGBT sector and senior citizens. 6) Reduced taxes and improved wages and
benefits. 7) Increased legal support to distressed overseas Filipino workers and reduced fees and
red tape for those applying for work abroad. 8) Intensified campaign against crime and drugs. 9)
Peace talks with various groups fighting the government. 10) Provide adequately staffed and
equipped hospitals in every city, and strengthen the PhilHealth program. 11) Build more roads
and trains not only in Metro Manila but in major centers around the city and increase
infrastructure spending to seven percent of GDP. 12) More supports for arts, culture and Sports.
13) Strengthen the tourism programs.
The presidential campaign of Grace Poe was announced at the Bahay ng Alumni at her alma
mater, the University of the Philippines Diliman on September 16, 2015.
Despite of criticisms being hurled towards Poe including plans to dislodge her at the presidential
race, the more Poe is being hurt by her rivals, the more stronger the support she gets from the
public as seen by her current status being the leader in various political surveys.

So who were running Grace Poes campaign? The campaign team of presidential candidate Sen.
Grace Poe comes from different backgrounds like business, politics, media, law and her family.
For most people in the group, it is their first time to be on a campaign team, more so a
presidential one. But some experienced politicians are there to help steer Poes campaign. Tasks
are done by committees, and these small groups then give recommendations to the candidate
herself.
The people who played an important role in her campaign are namely, Ace Durano, who has
been selected as the campaign manager of the partido Galing at Puso. He is also good friends
with Poes running mate Senator Chiz Escudero. Senator Chiz Escudero, vice presidential
candidate was also able to have a fair share of supporters with Sen. Grace Poe also having
influences from the showbiz industry. Of course her family played an important role in her
campaign, having a family from the entertainment world made her more popular because of the
influences that came from her celebrity parents. Especially her legendary father FPJ, who is
idolized by many Filipino people. Her quest to redeem her fathers legacy captured the voters
interest. That is why she seems to be more popular with the older crowd. Her celebrity friends
who are big in the industry were a way of capturing more votes for her because of the groups
supporting fellow celebrities. Being a Bicolandia, she has the votes of her homewtown. The
presidential candidate has the support of 5 Bicol governors namely, Albay Governor Joey
Salceda, Camarines Norte Governor Edgardo Tallado, Camarines Sur Governor Migz
Villafuerte, Sorsogon Governor Raul Lee, and Catanduanes Governor Cely Wong. Bicol has
more than 3.1 million voters, with Camarines Sur having 40% of the voting force. Also, 4
political parties who joined forces to support Grace Poes campaign are namely the Nacionalista
Party (NP), the Nationalist Peoples Coalition (NPC), the National Unity Party (NUP) and the
Makabayan bloc, as members of the coalition which will extend their resources to help Poe win
the 2016 presidential race.
The thing about Grace Poe, her asset is being able to form an emotional bond with the voter.
They like her right away. The moment you listen to Grace talk, youll like her. Being a senator
for three years, she said that being a new comer to politics, she says that she can offer something
to the table thats a little more different and effective compared to her rivals. Grace Poe is a
tough woman and wont allow herself to be manipulated.