LP-led Senate ticket launches advertising campaign

MANILA, Philippines - The Liberal Party-led administration senatorial ticket launched yesterday its own television and radio advertising campaign.

“The coalition ticket fired off today its TV and radio ad, which clearly defines its campaign line that this is the team of President Aquino,” Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, the ruling party’s spokesman, said.

In the advertisement, Evardone said Aquino presents the administration coalition candidates with the introduction: “Sa daang matuwid, marami ang gustong sumali, pero mayroon din namang nagpapanggap lamang (On the straight path, many wish to join, but many too just pretend).”

He said the President tells his viewers and listeners that the ticket, which he calls Team Pinoy, is the group that he can trust to support his reform agenda for the remainder of his term.

“Sila ang siguradong mapagkakatiwalaan. Mga tunay na tuwid sa daang matuwid. Mag-ingat sa hindi tunay (They are the ones you can trust, the true upright in the right path. Beware of pretenders),” he quoted Aquino as saying.

“These statements of the President draw the line between the administration ticket and the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) slate. The President is saying that it is the coalition team that he can trust to support him and his reform program up to the end of his term in 2016,” Evardone said.

He said the presidential endorsement would guide administration supporters on whom to support in the May 13 elections.

The administration alliance is made up of the LP, Nacionalista Party and the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

It launched its own ad campaign after UNA bombarded the public with radio and TV plugs for its candidates.

UNA groups Vice President Jejomar Binay, former President Joseph Estrada and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile. A Binay daughter, an Estrada son and an Enrile son are among UNA’s senatorial candidates.

Evardone, speaking for the ruling party, has criticized UNA’s “three kings” for supporting Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia’s defiance of an order, signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. for Aquino, which suspended her for six months.

Despite Binay’s show of support for a suspended governor, Aquino, before flying home from Davos, Switzerland over the weekend, told reporters that there were “no issues” between him and the vice president.