Poe’s base no match to Binay’s machinery

The handwriting is on the wall.  The March 5 Inquirer front-page story said it all: “Poe, Binay tied in latest poll.” From January to February, Jejomar Binay’s ratings climbed up to tie with Grace Poe’s ratings, which took quite a plunge in the latest survey.

Poe is really no match to Binay when it comes to the matter of a nationwide machinery necessary to win elections. She is going to get a shellacking when Binay’s machinery goes full throttle in the weeks before the balloting.

Binay has the Apo fraternity and sorority totally on his side.  Their members, who are scattered across the archipelago, boast of being solid behind their “brod” Binay— right or wrong.  That’s how shallow and crazy it is with sorority “sisters” and fraternity “brothers.”

The Boy Scouts of the Philippines has been ruled by Binay and his gofers who have been ensconced for decades in its national executive board. That organization is a goner as far as the virtues of “honesty” and “integrity” are concerned. The clique’s pernicious tentacles extend to every nook and cranny of this country.

Then, too, there is Makati’s ridiculous “sisterhood” mumbo jumbo with local government units, which Binay has institutionalized over the years he ruled the city. That setup enabled him and his family to regale local executives from all over the country with lavish entertainment all year round—courtesy of the hundreds of billions of pesos in realty taxes paid by the Ayalas and other tycoons in that neck of the woods. As of last count, about 645 cities and towns across the nation have their officials in the ready to return the favor any time Binay and his family want it!

As for Poe, what has she got? Nothing!  Walang alam sa politika! At lalong  wala ring alam sa pagnanakaw! (Naive about the ways of politics! And much more ignorant about the ways of corruption!)

It’s practically the face-off between the corrupt dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos (now played by Binay) and the know-nothing housewife Cory Aquino (now played by Poe) in the 1986 “snap election” all over again!  Only another miracle can save this country, so dear Lord, please make history repeat itself!

—ANNA  LEE LAUDER, [email protected]