No early campaign for GMA — Palace

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye denied yesterday President Arroyo had violated a rule on early campaigning for the May 10 elections and insisted that the posters and billboards with her face displayed around the country are not campaign materials but part of the "information campaign on governance activities and accomplishments."

Bunye said that efforts are underway to remove the posters but emphasized that "it is unfair for development-oriented information materials to be lumped up with campaign materials."

Mrs. Arroyo and three other presidential candidates have been ordered by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to explain why they violated the rule against early campaigning.

Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo will answer the charges.

But while the posters "May Pag-asa Tayo sa Bayang Asenso" of Mrs. Arroyo will be removed, the "info-mercials" on key government projects being aired on television would not be pulled out.

Michael Defensor, the official campaign spokesman of Mrs. Arroyo, said there is no reason to withdraw the info-mercials being broadcast on TV once the official campaign starts Feb. 10.

"Those are about ongoing governance projects and programs and could not be considered as campaign ads," Defensor said.

Mrs. Arroyo’s TV info-mercials include the Pag-Ibig Fund housing project for overseas Filipino workers where Defensor appears with her and entertainment personalities Rossana Roces, Bella Flores and Long Mejia.

Another info-mercial where the President appears is the Roll-On, Roll-Off (RORO) Ferry for the Strong Republic Nautical Highway.

She also has her weekly TV program, "The Working President", with young star Jolina Magdangal being aired over government-run NBN-4 and sequestered TV stations Channels 9 and 13.

Press Secretary Milton Alingod told The STAR yesterday that these programs will continue all throughout the campaign period.

"I’s a program that has been going on even before and it focuses on the government activities of the President and gives the public a closer look of the government projects and its beneficiaries being featured for that particular episode," Alingod pointed out.

He added that Radio-TV Malacañang will also resume the weekly airing of the President’s "May Gloria Ka Bayan" radio program with her vice presidential running mate, Sen. Noli de Castro, as her co-host.

The 10-minute radio program, which also has a TV version, is being aired over government-run Radyo ng Bayan at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The show was launched only three weeks ago but was temporarily put on hold after opposition senatorial candidate Francisco Tatad questioned the show.

"We checked with our legal people and they told us there is no violation (of Comelec rules) because no politics or campaign matters are being discussed but only national issues and concerns and governance activities and programs," Alingod told The STAR.

As this developed, Mrs. Arroyo called on the public to vigilant against any attempts to commit fraud and other activities that will frustrate the holding of clean and honest elections this May.

"I enjoin our people to help in safeguarding the sanctity of the ballot and ensure honest and orderly elections by providing information to the Comelec regarding electoral fraud in their localities," Mrs. Arroyo said.

Ranking administration solons also rallied behind the President and urged her to continue with her governance and reforms and not be swayed by black propaganda and destabilization efforts.

In a joint statement, Lakas-CMD Reps. Augusto Syjuco of Iloilo, Monico Puentevella of Bacolod City and Exequiel Javier of Antique expressed belief that Mrs. Arroyo’s performance will outshine the empty promises of her rivals.

Meanwhile, interviewed on Radio Mindanao Network yesterday, Bunye gave assurances that there are funds to meet the budget requirements of the Comelec for the elections even as the national government operates under the re-enacted 2003 budget.

Bunye sought to allay fears raised by opposition Sen. Edgardo Angara that the Comelec stands to lose as much as P3 billion of it funding for the holding of the May elections due to the failure of Congress to approve the 2004 budget bill. — With AFP