The May elections are upon the Filipino people and the media is flooded with political advertorials. This is their best season yet. I sat through an hour of national news and found the political ads more entertaining than the noontime shows and Pinoy Big Brother. Filipinos love babies and toddlers because they’re cute and irresistible. Several candidates are quite aware of this and are banking on the cradle. They have made a point of carrying a little kid with one arm while the right hand is shaking hands with a voter. The candidate is usually followed by a crowd of admirers while campaigning at the local barangay or the public market, in schools or at a construction site and in open fields where Loren Legarda is planting rice with farmers. Miss Legarda’s posters say she is “No.1 sa Senado” but according to a recent survey, Kiko Pangilinan is at the top of the list of 12 Senatorial candidates. It’s not difficult for “Kuya Kiko” to head the list since his wife is megastar, Sharon Cuneta
“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.” - James Michener