BongBong Marcos: ‘I will sit as Vice President’

We deserve better than campaign gimmicks

With few weeks to Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls, politicians are trying to convince us to “remember them” on May 14.

Election gimmicks won’t be complete without conquering social media.  

The campaign period is in full swing, and everyone is rooting for their respective candidates.  Some are bombarding the voting public with campaign ads. However, as of Saturday, I didn’t see some unusual campaign gimmicks.  Maybe this week.

In the past, we’ve heard stories of politicians who are reportedly giving away “freebies” with their names written all over. We have seen donated goods, candies, soaps, ballpens, with politician’s names written on them. Plus, the “uwan-uwan”!

And of course, election gimmicks won’t be complete without conquering social media.  The internet has been through a lot last week, to put it simply. Your Facebook rants about corrupt and alleged narco politicians probably aren't changing your friends' minds.

Campaign slogans and (hilarious) memes ricochet across Facebook and Twitter.

One outrageous meme reads: “Walang silbi sa bahay pero gusto maglingkod sa barangay.”

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BongBong Marcos: ‘I will sit as Vice President’

Former senator Ferdinand “BongBong” Marcos , Jr. said that his political direction would become vice president of the country.

Former senator Ferdinand “BongBong” Marcos 

administered the oath taking of the Bohol leaders 

to the Nacionalista Party (NP)  last May 1 in Tagbilaran City, 

Bohol province. Leo Udtohan

“My political direction? I will sit as vice president. Very simple, di naman kumplikado plano natin,” said Marcos who didn’t elaborate further.

Marcos was in Bohol last Tuesday, May 1, to attend some activities including the launching of the Marcos Loyalists Movement (MLM).

He arrived on Tuesday morning in Tagbilaran City. He also met Bishop Albert Uy of the Diocese of Tagbilaran.  

At 3 p.m., Marcos went to attend the launching of the MLM attended by at least 3,000 members and supporters at Booy Covered Court.

Most of the members, wearing red shirts, came from the towns of Balilihan, Jagna and Alburquerque and Tagbilaran City.

Businessman Joemar Unabia, president of MLM, said that the movement was to support any member of the Marcos family. He even likened the movement to a tree whose component parts- strong limbs, sturdy trunk, branches, and leaves- grow even upward, towards the life-giving sun.

“Parang isang puno, una itanim ang pangalan na Bongbong Marcos o kung sino man sa Marcos family, pangalawa, parang puno na alagaan natin at bigyan ng malasakit at pangatlo, parang puno na yayabung ang bunga para sa karamihan at anong kabutihan na maibibigay ng mga Marcos sa buong bansa,” Unabia said.

Marcos told supporters said he was elated of the movement which was first in the country.

He didn’t elaborate further of the electoral protest against Vice President Leni Robredo, but he assured the supporters that the protest was on-going.

 “Yung mga boto ninyong nawala, ilalabas natin yan, ibibilang natin yan,” he said.

He also administered the oath taking of membership of the supporters.

Marcos said he would not run in the May 2019 election as he plans to finish his electoral protest against Robredo.

He told reporters later that seeking a Senate seat would mean that he is "abandoning" his protest, as was illustrated by jurisprudence.

At 8 p.m. Tuesday (May 1), he also administered the oath taking of some Bohol to the Nacionalista Party (NP).

Among those who renewed and took their membership were provincial board member Tomas Abapo, Jr., former Panglao Mayor Leonila Montero, Buenavista Mayor Ronald Lowell Tirol, San Isidro Mayor Jacinto Naraga, Getafe Mayor Casey Shaun Camacho , Bien Unido Mayor Rene Boneraga , Balilihan Vice Mayor Adonis Roy Olalo, former Philippine Councilors League (PL)-Bohol chapter president Ramonito Torrefranca, former Baclayon Mayor Alvin Uy, former Antequera Mayor Samuel Rebosura and Lila Vice Mayor Arturo Piollo III.

Marcos assured the members that the party, which was founded in 1907, would help members.

“We are here to protect and help you,” he said.

The NP, the country's oldest political party, had formed a coalition with Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), the political party of President Rodrigo Duterte.

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