meet ruffdelisa

I’ve just seen the results of the latest Pulse Asia senatorial survey and it’s not a pretty sight. I was kinda hoping that early results showing the likes of Bong Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada topping surveys were flukes, but apparently they are not. And what’s with Lito Lapid in 11th place??  When the press makes a big deal about “finally” (in the words of an Inquirer article) having a bill approved 4 years into your term as senator, something tells me you haven’t been busy much, and STILL people want to vote for you?? It eludes me how that is even possible.

Anyhoo, it got me thinking about getting to know three senatorial candidates who have been recommended to me to vote: Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, Atty. Adel Tamano, and Rep. Ruffy Biazon. By getting to know, I mean reading up on any qualifications they might have in terms of legislation, and maybe any reason not to vote for them just to balance things out. And here’s the result of my rudimentary morning web research:

Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel

All I had previously known about Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel is the fact that she was a former broadcast journalist and is now an Akbayan representative. She’s sponsored and authored quite a lot of bills according to her House of Representatives page, so I thought I’d just peruse some of the ones that seemed more relevant, such as her Anti-Discrimination Bill outlining discriminatory practices on the basis of sexual orientation. Although I must say it must be difficult to prove discrimination as the motive behind certain actions, the bill will at least get rid of any ambiguity that having no law at all might allow. Well, that’s if the bill gets passed, because it’s facing opposition from the ever-vocal church.

A known women’s rights advocate, Hontiveros also authored the proposed anti-prostitution bill that seeks to transfer the burden of punishment from the prostitutes themselves to the business owners and patrons. Makes sense, because if there is no demand for prostitution, there will be no supply. And it also seems more just, because patrons don’t have the excuse of being coerced into buying sex because of poverty in the same way prostitutes have the same excuse for selling sex. The definition of prostitution is likewise broadened, to the point that even religious cults offering someone as a sexual offering is punished (there IS such a thing?? disturbing..).

She’s all for a nation of activists. Activists (in our common understanding of the term) in the legislature is supposedly a good thing because they get to forward their causes in what is popularly considered the legitimate venue: government. Maybe that’s why she pushed for an increase in party-list representatives to be accommodated in Congress, which wouldn’t be a bad thing as long as the process by which party lists choose their representatives isn’t suddenly infiltrated (yes that’s you, Mikey Arroyo).

Possible point against: her real stance on farmers. This is only according to some imputations that her party list’s (Akbayan) idea of agrarian reform is “compensating the landlords which have long exploited them and burdening them with amortization runs contrary to the principle of social justice and emancipation of peasants.” And it doesn’t help that she’s under the LP ticket, headlined by two members of the most notoriously landed families.

Atty. Adel Tamano

A lot I know off the top of my head about Atty. Adel Tamano is limited to one-liners that actually have nothing to do with politics. Legal counsel for Vicki Belo. Muslim. Good-looking (or so they say, haha). According to much-needed research at his website, Atty. Tamano is actually Harvard-educated (much like Gibo) and boasts of a solid background in law, both as a practicing lawyer and an educator. And based on my two in-person encounters with him, he does indeed speak well, which makes him an apt choice for the position of opposition spokesman.

Speaking of his Harvard education, I read somewhere that when he graduated from Harvard Law in 2005, he lamented at the fact that his distinction caused not much of a stir here, a reflection of what little importance he says the country gives to education. By his recollection, he says he had people crying over being so moved by his commencement exercises message…must have been one hell of a speech! But seriously, I quite agree that education should definitely be the priority of the government, along with the environment. Most of his advocacies run the theme of education, having geared the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM, of which he is president) toward providing adult education opportunities for blue-collar workers, for one.

His other advocacy would be to forward Muslim representation at a national level. FYI, he is a Muslim married to a Christian. As far as whether or not Muslims see him as a qualified representation, I wouldn’t know because I’m not Muslim. I’ve read accounts of Muslims crying foul over the fact that his wife allegedly eats pork at their dinner table.

Point against: motherhood-statement-ness, as the Indolent Indio would describe it. Well, the guy probably can’t help it, he’s a spokesperson after all, and he doesn’t have legislative experience to show anyhow. I guess the test would be if, senator or not, he actually does something about the causes he supports, from gays to agrarian reform. One thing is for certain: he has at least been consistently anti-administration on a lot of issues, from Daniel Smith to charter change.

Rep. Ruffy Biazon

Wow, Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon actually writes some of the stuff in his own website! And upon opening his latest post on President Arroyo’s appointment of the next Chief Justice, I find that he has put into words my thoughts exactly: that even if it has been ruled she can do it, if she still cares about her integrity, she shouldn’t. Good sign.

A medical technologist if we were to talk about education (that was his course at UST), Rep. Biazon got through the politics back door as his father’s (Rodolfo Biazon) Chief of Staff during the latter’s stint as senator. As member of the present Congress, he has principally authored 78 bills, and 23 bills authored or co-authored by him have been enacted into law. I’m no expert to judge the soundness of laws, but some laws he’s principally authored, such as the restructuring and condonation of housing loans, seem to make sense.

Here’s an interesting bill he’s proposed: one requiring the registration of SIM card users and mobile phone units. I could see this being of great help for detective work, but I for one am wary about establishing databases of any sort in this country. Another interesting bill: one to prevent transsexuals from circumventing the marriage-between-man-and-woman clause in the Family Code. Makes me question what his stance is exactly on the rights of homosexuals..

He is described in this post as a devout Christian, and from this religiosity he sources his leadership integrity. His colleagues seem to have the same praises for his dedication and principles. This all might be high and abstract, but young voters might be surprised to know that he’s as much into Lady GaGa as the next yuppie, according to this Philippine Star article. And thank goodness for that, Lord knows we need more young blood coursing through government veins (Yes, I’m looking at you, Juan Ponce Enrile).

So here ends my attempt at election education. You should know that a lot of the stuff here is largely superficial; I don’t know any of these people personally, and if I were you, I’d endeavor to hear the words straight from the horses’, or in this case wannabe legislators’, mouths.