Gov. Vi to do a Palin?

Will Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos be the Philippines’ Sarah Palin come 2010?

National Economic and Development Authority Director General Ralph Recto yesterday said he is not ruling out the possibility that his wife might consider running for the second highest position in the country.

Recto said his wife and Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate, are both women governors and, like the latter, Santos is being eyed to become the running mate of two presidential hopefuls.

“She doesn’t ask my permission, but who knows, she might be like Palin, who was a governor then a vice presidential candidate,” Recto said in Filipino during the weekly radio program “Para sa Iyo Bayan” of Vice President Noli de Castro.

Santos, however, earlier denied reports that Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando is wooing her to be his running mate in the 2010 presidential elections.

She is also reportedly being courted as running mate of De Castro, who is a close friend of Recto.

Santos, a popular and multi-awarded actress, also said it was too early for her to make political plans for the 2010 polls.

Santos was the first woman mayor of Lipa City and is now the first woman governor of Batangas.

Palin is the first woman governor of Alaska, elected to the post in November 2006. Prior to this, Palin was on the Wasilla, Alaska city council from 1992 to 1996 and mayor from 1996 to 2002.

Palin was chosen by Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain as his running mate last August.

She is the first Republican woman to run on her party’s presidential ticket, as well as the first Alaskan to appear on any major party presidential ticket.