Fernando junks bid for VP

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando said yesterday he had decided to abandon his plan to run for vice president in the May elections.

"I really wanted to run because I know I can make an impact on the country by offering solutions to our lingering problems," Fernando told reporters after he announced his decision.

Aside from citing his loyalty to the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party and his limited resources, Fernando declined to give other reasons for junking his vice-presidential bid.

"Anyone could have so many interpretations of my reasons," he said.

Fernando’s face reflected the strain of having made a difficult decision and the disappointment that came with it, but he said he was "mature enough to understand things" and not view these developments with a heavy heart.

He had announced his vice-presidential bid as early as July last year, but trailed behind Senators Noli de Castro and Loren Legarda in political surveys.

Fernando was the guest of honor at the inauguration of the Navotas bus terminal yesterday.

During the press conference with Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco, he initially told reporters that he had until 12 midnight last night, the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy, to make a decision.

But he surprised everyone when, after a long pause, he announced that he will be staying on at the MMDA.

"I am no longer running. I’m staying at the MMDA. I’m needed here and feeling the pulse of Metro Manilans, I think they want me to stay at the MMDA," he said.

Fernando added that there was an offer for him to chair the Lakas-CMD’s National Capital Region chapter. Should he assume the post, he will replace Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr., who is seeking a second term.

He said he has yet to make a decision on this offer, but noted that "when (President Arroyo) says so, it’s hard to say no."

Sources told The STAR that the President had called up Fernando twice last Sunday. During one of the calls, she offered him the Lakas-NCR chairmanship.

The sources added that Mrs. Arroyo’s calls came at a crucial time, when Fernando was trying to decide whether to pursue his vice-presidential bid after being junked by Lakas in favor of De Castro.

The camps of presidential aspirants Sen. Panfilo Lacson, evangelist Eddie Villanueva, and former senator Raul Roco were tapping Fernando to be their running mate.

Fernando told The STAR in an earlier interview that his decision will depend on his chances of winning and promoting his advocacies and vision if elected.

Fernando has been credited for transforming a once crime-ridden Marikina City into one of the most disciplined, cleanest and progressive cities in the country after serving as its mayor for nine years.

He was appointed by the President as MMDA chairman in July 2002, ordering him to duplicate his achievements in Marikina City, this time in the entire Metro Manila area.

As MMDA chairman, Fernando earned the admiration of many residents of the metropolis for his no-nonsense style of leadership. He removed illegal sidewalk vendors as part of his program to clear Metro Manila’s roads of obstructions and help decongest traffic.

With less than five months to go before the May elections, Fernando said he will prioritize the clearing of roads for maximum use by motorists and managing pedestrians, which he said "is the key to relieve the roadways of traffic congestion."

On the other hand, Agrarian Reform Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan shelved his plans to run for senator under Lakas-CMD because of his apparent lack of popularity and resources.

Pagdanganan said he decided three days ago not to push through with his plan to seek a Senate seat and just focus on his job as agrarian reform chief until June 30. He said his decision not to run was finalized after he discussed it with his family.

"After evaluating my chances of winning and bearing in mind my work in the department, I decided that it was not practical for me to run," he said.

Pagdanganan admitted he does not have the popularity to go shoulder-to-shoulder with other Lakas-CMD senatorial bets, particularly Pampanga Gov. Manuel "Lito" Lapid and resigned Videogram Regulatory Board chairman Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr.

"To win, I need to be in the top six or eight (candidates on the list). Admittedly, this will be hard for me," he said.

Pagdanganan added that he dropped his vice-presidential bid so as not to divide his family’s campaign funds between him and his son Roberto Raymond, who is running as the administration candidate for Bulacan vice governor.

Last Dec. 16, during a Christmas party for reporters covering the Department of Agrarian Reform, Pagdanganan announced that he was seeking a Senate seat under the Lakas-CMD banner. — With Jerry Botial, Mike Frialde