GMA still wants 13-0 for PPC

President Arroyo is continuing her crusade for the administration’s sweep of the senatorial race in May, saying a 13-0 victory for the People Power Coalition (PPC) was far from being an impossible dream.

The President, who personally made a pitch for each PPC candidate at a proclamation rally in Mandaluyong City Saturday night, denied having said that a sweep was unrealistic.

"My crusade for a 13-0 win is undiminished and unwavering. I will continue to support them (PPC candidates)," she said, abandoning a previous stance of leaving it up to the candidates to campaign for themselves.

The result of a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations showed that five opposition candidates continue to figure in the winning circle, led by television personality Noli de Castro.

Before a cheering crowd of some 50,000 supporters at the junction of Shaw Boulevard and Acacia Lane, the President called out the names of the PPC senatorial bets and described their virtues and qualifications.

Mrs. Arroyo also proclaimed the administration’s 26 congressional and 17 mayoral bets for Metro Manila.

The proclamation was followed by the reading of the Kasunduan sa Taumbayan (Agreement with the People), a covenant spelling out the PPC’s platform of government.

All the candidates from senators down to councilors signed the covenant, which also spelled out the ideals of a new politics as inspired by EDSA II.

The PPC bets vowed to stand for the cause of building a new politics, which is all about the people’s welfare and putting public interest first above anything else.

"We will address even more the need for housing, education and health, create more employment opportunities so that the poor will be uplifted," they said.

The covenant also calls for giving priority to solving Metro Manila’s chronic problems like illegal drugs, garbage collection, traffic and floods.

Lakas executive director Joey Rufino said the covenant will be the unifying force of all political parties under the PPC.

"There are many parties and organizations under the coalition. The common political agenda will draw all these parties together and work for a common goal in this election and in tackling the difficult work that lies ahead," Rufino said.

Meanwhile, re-electionist Rep. Jose Mari Gonzalez (PPC-Liberal, San Juan) yesterday filed a request seeking to place San Juan under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), citing possible cases of election fraud that might take place in Metro Manila’s smallest municipality.

Gonzalez said he wants the venue of the canvassing transferred from the municipal session hall to a "bigger, spacious and secure" San Juan Elementary School gym, where the proceedings "can be more transparent."

He further asked that the present municipal and district board of canvassers as well as the chief of police be transferred and reshuffled with counterpart officials from other cities.

"By reshuffling municipal election officials, we will not only get rid of suspicion but also prevent conspiratorial relationships that make irregularities possible," Gonzalez said.