Flavier tells supporters to take it easy

Senate President Pro Tempore Juan Flavier told his supporters yesterday to "take it easy," saying he would not want to be accused of premature campaigning.

"I told them not to forget that at this point, my name is just floated as a possible candidate," Flavier told reporters. "As long as there is no organized effort, OK lang. I might be accused of illegal campaigning."

Flavier was asked to react to reports that three groups plan to urge him to run for president, with one group believing he can cure the economic and political ills plaguing the country.

He maintained that he would wait for the results of the surveys being conducted by Pulse Asia and the Social Weather Stations on his chances of winning the elections.

The senator said the surveys, which will be out by April, will determine if he will join the presidential race. If he does not make it in the surveys, then he will not run in the elections.

But aside from the survey results, Flavier said he will also consider his "acceptability" to the ruling Lakas-NUCD party as well as his own physical condition as factors in his decision whether or not to join the presidential derby.

"I will also have to assess whether my health can cope with the rigors of the campaign," Flavier said, noting that he has had bouts with diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma in the past.

Flavier, a former barrio doctor who became an extremely popular health secretary during the term of President Fidel Ramos, also admitted that he would have to consider his finances before he decides to run for president.

Asked if he could raise P2 billion, the amount reportedly needed to finance a decent presidential campaign in 2004, Flavier said, "I cannot spell that (amount)."

On the other hand, a group of Flavier’s supporters formally launched yesterday their own version of the Flavier for President Movement, seeking to convince the senator to run in the 2004 presidential elections.

Calling themselves the Bayanihan ni Juan Movement, the group – headed by lawyer Raul Lambino – has echoed the call of other groups who believe that Flavier, being a doctor, is the only one who can heal the wounds and cure the illnesses of the country.

"He is the only one who can unite the nation," Lambino told reporters.

Earlier, a group headed by Francisco Reyes announced their desire to push Flavier as their presidential candidate for the 2004 elections. Reyes’ group will also hold the launch of their version of the Flavier for President Movement next week.

A homeowners’ organization headed by Jesus Aranza also launched their Flavier for President Movement in Makati the other day.

Lambino said he welcomes the emergence of various groups urging Flavier to run for the presidency, saying that the more supporters Flavier has, the higher his chances of victory.

Citing surveys conducted by The STAR and the ABS-CBN morning program Magandang Umaga Bayan, Lambino said Flavier garnered more votes than Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who is one of those who has expressed interest in running in the presidential race.

"Flavier has his heart with the poor, having been a ‘Doctor of the Barrios’ for many decades, even ignoring the more lucrative option of staying in Manila. It’s therefore no wonder why everybody is also for him," Lambino said.

However, despite the urgings of these groups, Flavier himself played down his supporters’ efforts. He said it is too early for anybody to declare his bid for the highest post in the land.

In a telephone interview with The STAR the other day, Flavier said he will wait for the surveys conducted by the Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia to determine his chances of winning the presidential race.

Flavier said the results of the surveys, which will come out in April, will determine whether he will heed his supporters’ call to run in the elections.

"If the survey is not favorable to me, then I will not run in the elections," he said.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit said that talks of Flavier running for president are speculative and merely a "float."

Dayrit, however, said that though the Department of Health as a whole does not officially support any presidentiable, he believes that Flavier can count on "some support there. I can’t really speak for (the DOH employees). I don’t want to speak for them."

The health chief also declined to make a personal statement of support for Flavier, saying he is a Cabinet member and as such, should refrain from engaging in partisan politics.

Dayrit served in numerous DOH bureaus and programs during Flavier’s tenure as health secretary. – With Perseus Echeminada and Rainier Allan Ronda