Source: Global Times - Global Network
The six-yearly Philippine election has attracted particular attention in recent days. October 8 is the deadline for presidential candidates to submit their certificates, and according to local media reports, at least 79 people have submitted certificates, but six have received special media attention, including Sarah, the daughter of current President Duterte, who did not register but led the polls. "In the manic race to replace Duterte as the leader of the Philippines, there are the sons of dictators, former actors, champion boxers", CNN reported on the 10th that "although the Philippines' 2022 presidential campaign has not yet begun, conspiracies and dramatic progress have begun to play out one by one." Although some candidates have made extreme remarks on China policy issues, local observers told the Global Times that China's policy is not the main factor in the Philippine election and voters choose who to support, and various issues involving people's livelihood are more important.
Duterte Infographic
National and local elections in the Philippines will be held on May 9, 2022, electing approximately 18,000 new government positions, including president, vice president, members of Congress, local administrators and lawmakers. Cnn said there was only one round of voting in the Philippines' election, which means that at the end of the counting, the person at the top of the list will become president — regardless of their total number of votes. In the Philippines, the president and vice president are elected separately and can even come from different political parties. Regarding next year's presidential election, Heydarian, a professor of history and political science at the Philippine Institute of Technology, said there is no clear front-runner at the moment and that "it will be a high-intensity competition."
"In the Philippines, politics can be seen as an extension of the nation's love of TV soap operas, but the list of candidates to succeed Duterte reads like a screenwriter's dream." The British "Times" reported on the 10th. Among the highly concerned presidential candidates is Marcos Jr., the son of former Philippine President Marcos, known as the "dictator's son," whose candidacy was denounced by human rights groups, but Marcos said many of the allegations against his family were defamatory. Cnn said Little Marcos is popular in the northern philippines and that his family has "grassroots support, resources and information."
Philippine boxing champion Pacquiao's candidacy has also attracted attention. He became a senator in 2016 and said he would help vulnerable people in the country, but some media outlets quoted Philippine experts as saying he had been absent from his term several times and had shown lackluster performance. Another candidate, known as the "former actor," is Manila Mayor Moreno, who entered politics in 1998 and has risen politically rapidly over the past three years. In addition, the current vice president and opposition leader Robredo has many supporters running for the presidency, but she ranks lower in the polls.
Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao said on the 10th that a few minutes before the registration deadline on the 8th, the Democratic-People's Power Party to which Duterte belongs unexpectedly announced that de la Rosa, a Philippine senator and former police officer who led the anti-drug operation, was running for president on behalf of the party. "Still, Sarah is by far the most popular candidate for president."
"All good dramas always leave room for turning, and the same is true for the Philippine election. Election rules allow a party to change candidates by mid-November — exactly the line Duterte took six years ago. The Times said. This is also the speculation of many media and observers. "Lianhe Zaobao" said that after Duterte announced on the 2nd of this month that he would withdraw from politics, the outside world speculated that he paved the way for his daughter Sarah to become president. If Sarah does not run for president, Duterte still has a chance to change his mind and become a vice presidential candidate again. Even if Duterte does not run, given his position in the party's and the party's politics, supporting his party's candidate to win the presidential election is a good option for him. From the current point of view, Duterte's plan is still being implemented, and how effective it will be, it remains to be seen.
Winning the Philippine election usually requires a lot of money and a national organization that can reach the grassroots, give candidates visibility and votes, according to Hong Kong's South China Morning Post. The current few candidates, either only have funding and visibility, have no national organization behind them, or have no organization and no visibility. According to Lianhe Zaobao, observers point to personality and popularity in the Philippines as the key to winning votes. There have always been many "unpredictabilitys" in philippine presidential elections.
As China and the United States increasingly see the Indo-Pacific as a rallying point for global showdowns, the Philippines is likely to face increasing economic and geopolitical pressures, particularly as a claimant in parts of the South China Sea, cnn said. Regarding the China policy, Marcos Jr. last month expressed support for Duterte's "engagement policy" with China, saying it was the "right path" and that Marcos May be the candidate with the closest relationship with China. Of the others, Pacquiao "seems to be trying to please both voters and China," was a former ally of President Rodrigo Duterte but has repeatedly slammed the current administration's China policy recently.
"Run, Sarah", Agence France-Presse reported on the 10th, after the "first daughter" Sara missed the 8-day deadline, her supporters posted slogans urging her to run everywhere in the Philippines. In addition, Sarah's spokesperson said on the 9th that she tested positive for the new crown virus and is being quarantined. Lianhe Zaobao said that if Sarah runs for election and is eventually elected president, the Philippines' policy toward China will have stronger continuity in the future, and it is also very likely to promote the further development of China-Philippines relations. (Reporter Huang Dongxing Yu wen)
(Source: Global Times)