Razon focuses on issues, programs

MANILA, Philippines - Manila mayoral candidate Avelino Razon focuses on issues and programs, which is more appreciated by the city’s voters who seem to be turned off by the verbal tussles and personal attacks leveled against each other by his two rivals Mayor Alfredo Lim and former environment secretary Lito Atienza, the head of the political group of the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, said yesterday.

Retired Col. Ernesto Dionisio, a former councilor in the city’s second district and current head of the political organization of the Razon Para Mayor (RPM) movement, said by all indications, Manileños are interested in discussing the issues and concerns about their city as well as concrete programs that would improve their lives and the conditions in Manila.

“On the other hand, many of them feel that the mudslinging between the two other candidates are not helping them make an intelligent decision as to who to vote for,” Dionisio said in a statement issued yesterday. Dionisio said that staged events are typically a one-way thing, with only the candidates speaking and the crowd listening, and the most that happens is that the candidates wave at and shake hands with the crowd.

Instead of staged events such as rallies and motorcades, which attract crowds but does not do much to address the needs and concerns of voters, Razon opted to go on house-to-house sorties and town hall type meetings known as caucuses to enable him to engage voters in more in-depth discussions of issues, hear their concerns and explain his program of governance.

Dionisio said, in several instances, those whom Razon personally interacted with expressed appreciation that they could talk to him and that he took time out to listen to them. This seems to serve Razon in good stead, as more and more Manileños have regarded him as a viable alternative to the two other candidates, who have both served as mayor for a combined period of 18 years, because they get to know more about his platform.

Dionisio pointed out that Razon’s style did not just evolve but was a conscious decision by the candidate, who is determined to conduct a principled and informative campaign and has refrained from engaging in personal attacks.

Meanwhile, Lim said he is campaigning even harder with only two weeks left before the May 10 elections holding his house-to-house campaigns in the mornings and riding his kalesa around the six districts in the afternoon. Considering the scorching sunny afternoons, the residents themselves are already asking why the mayor has to work so hard when he is already a sure win in their areas, promising him of their solid votes.

In Baseco, which used to be his weak spot, is now solid behind him, Lim said. This is because of the massive transformation work done, Lim said. He said he has built schools, playgrounds, day care cen-ters and other vital social infrastructure, which his predecessors just kept promising the residents.