Ang Kalatas March 2016

PHOTO: RAMIL BALINGIT OVERSEAS VOTING STARTS APRIL 9 Volume VI No 6 | MARCH 2016 | www.kalatas.com.au | [email protected] | facebook.com/angkalatas | +angkalatas | @angkalatas Latest Pulse Asia surveys show Their hero no more SOME things are not easily forgotten. At the recent Mardi Gras Gay Pride Parade in Sydney, some Pinoy LGBT community members took time to send their message to senatorial candidate Sarangani rep. Manny Pacquiao: he’s losing their votes. Last month, the Philippines’ boxing icon earned the ire of the LGBT community with his now infamous “masahol pa sa hayop” statement when he reiterated his stance against same-sex marriage. Pacquiao had apologised for his remarks. But the LGBT community in the Philippines, including Sydneybased Pinoy gays, have continued their campaign against Pacquiao. The backlash is already being felt by Pacquiao. From a high 8-10 ranking in surveys for senatorial candidates, Pacquaio is now within the 14-16 placement ranking, putting him out of the so-called ‘Magic 12’ winning circle. At the Sydney parade, ‘Cristina’ carried a placard expressing a continuing anti-Pacquiao sentiment in the LGBT quarters. TOP SENATORS PREFERED A total of 56 candidates are vying for the 12 Senate seats up for grabs on May 9. Latest PA survey shows the top on the list of preferences are incumbent or former senators: 1. Tito Sotto 63% 2. Panfilo Lacson 60% 3. Francis Pangilinan 54% 4. Ralph Recto 53% 5. Franklin Drilon 52% 6. Juan Miguel Zubiri 48% POE 26% ESCUDERO 29% BINAY DUTERTE HONASAN 4% CAYETANO 12% 25% LESS than two months away to election date, the race for the presidency remains a close one. It is just too tight. The latest Pulse Asia survey released early this month (covering February 15-20 period) show the frontrunners – Vice President Jejomar Binay (UNA) and Senator Grace Poe (Ind) – are virtually locked in a tie while close behind them are Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte (PDP-Laban) and administration bet Mar Roxas (Liberal) who also ended up in a deadlock. Interestingly, Duterte’s numbers are on an upward trend; same too with Roxas. Only Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago appears to be on the exit trail – she’s struggling at 3 to 4% and her numbers have not been improving at all. 21% ROXAS SANTIAGO ROBREDO 19% MARCOS 26% 21% 3% Their rankings are practically the same in another survey done by the Social Weather Station earlier. VP Binay was first (31%), Poe was second (24%), Roxas (21%), Duterte (20%), and Santiago (3%). Nothing appears to be predictable. There are no sure winners yet and one can only expect the four candidates to go all-out with their guns blazing as they try to knock each other out for the top spot. An interesting race to watch is the one on the vice presidential race with erstwhile frontrunner Senator Chiz Escudero now statistically tied with Senator Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr – 29% and 26% respectively. The administration’s VP bet Leni Robredo has improver her numbers but she’s still lagging quite a distance at 19%. POE CAN RUN. It is now official: GRACE POE IS A CANDIDATE. The supreme court has voted (9-6) in favour of Senator Poe dismissing the disqualification filed against her. The SC ruling reverses an earlier comelec decision to disqualify the woman senator from the presidential race due to questions surrounding her citizenship and her residency.