Conspicuous absence

Despite their many overwhelming advantages—ample campaign funds, the administration’s all-out support, a national network of local officials and ardent supporters on- and offline—why is it that the administration senatorial candidates seem awfully leery of engaging in debate with the opposition?

It’s puzzling, because many pro-Duterte candidates are reelectionists who have no reason to shun the public exposure provided by public affairs events such as debates.

Despite a condescending acceptance of a challenge hurled by the opposition Otso Diretso team, Hugpong ng Pagbabago candidates and their other political hangers-on were conspicuous in their absence at the debate scheduled to be held at the historic Plaza Miranda, the traditional center of political activity in the premartial law days.

It was also to take place on Feb. 25, which is observed in these islands as the anniversary of People Power, the revolt that overthrew the Marcos regime and sent the family packing to Hawaii.

Was it this inauspicious occasion that prevented the Hugpong folk from taking the stage? It would have been awkward indeed, given that Imee Marcos is among the administration lineup. Although, officially, Hugpong said its candidates were busy with campaign sorties in Bulacan.

But it was Otso candidate Florin Hilbay who summed up the situation succinctly: “We’re not the ones (who were) shunned here. They shunned the nation.”

Or was it a case of knowing they were defending the indefensible?

The late National Artist Nick Joaquin had described Plaza Miranda as “the crossroads of the nation, the forum of the land.” Indeed, President Ramon Magsaysay immortalized the public square when he would ask advisers: “Can we defend this at Plaza Miranda?”

By their absence on Sunday, the administration’s candidates proved they just could not defend their performance, positions or support for the man in Malacañang.

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Late for the dinner with media, J.G. Estela Ishihara bent from the waist, holding her head down and uttering some words in Japanese which we understood to be an abject apology for her tardiness.

Then Estela began to speak, and we heard traces of a Filipino accent but with a curious lilt. It turns out that Ishihara is from Bacolod, though she has spent 13 years in Japan and is raising a preteen Filipino-Japanese son.

She is also marketing event coordinator of AA Japan/Philanka, based in Subic, which markets Japanese trucks to customers around the world. From 200 to 300 trucks are currently housed in the company’s compound and, so far, despite being a relative newcomer in the refurbished trucks scene in the country, AA Japan/Philanka is doing well, thank you.

“I love trucks!” exclaims Ishihara, obviously pleased with how the local market has responded. “We sold 14 on the first day,” she shares, and divulges that they aim to sell some 3,000 units for 2019. The brisk response she attributes to the many construction and infrastructure projects taking place around the country — a hopeful sign, it seems.

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If you’ve got some spare change — $500,000, at least — and don’t want to stuff the cash under your mattress, one option is to use the amount toward earning permanent residence in the United States for you, your spouse and single children under 21 years.

This is through the EB-5 Investment Visa program, which promises worry-free residence in the United States provided the applicant is able to prove that he/she has at least half a million dollars to invest in a business that will employ at least 10 Americans living in any designated “regional center” in US territory.

Some 10,000 EB-5 visas are available each year, with the program able to raise $27.6 billion in investments since its inception.

One investment opportunity through the EB-5 visa program is being offered by the New York-based Lightstone Group, which is luring EB-5 visa holders to invest in a hotel complex in Los Angeles with Marriott Hotels as partner. The project assures investors and authorities that 27 jobs will be created for each investor, well above the required threshold. With six EB-5-financed projects under its belt, the Lightstone Group has attracted nearly 4,000 investors, a great many of them from China, we’re told.

rdavid@inquirer.com.ph