Stamp out smuggling

Let me start with an appetizer. I got this from a friend's text. "Kris had her Philip. Now James has his Hope. Is not life like a cigaret?"

And a friend who came for a vacation from the U.S. said he struck good luck. Lucky Strike?

***

Senator Edgardo Angara was here yesterday. After his press conference at a local hotel, he went to the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters to meet NFSP President Nene Rojas and friends.

Senator Angara has been one of the supporters of the sugar industry. While secretary of agriculture, he worked to stamp out smuggling of agricultural products.

But Senator Angara must not be complacent. The young candidates for the Senate are aggressive and many of our voters don't belong to our generation. He told me though, he is not leaving things to chance. He is working hard. And must campaign harder. The many millions he spends for his advertisements might just go to waste. Besides, Erap's jingle "ASO" is starting to click. He must counter it.

News reports said he is one of the heavy spenders in media. Media friends were asking if this is true. I said, I don't know. If this is a Manila report, then it is true. But he has not started to spend yet in the provinces.

Whatever it is, I hope Senator Angara wins again. And I hope my doubts are unfounded. But, in elections it is always nobody's game. I rooted for him as vice presidential candidate in 1998 and did not expect that now President Gloria Arroyo would beat him. But, she did.

Negros Occidental is one vote-rich province with 1.5 million votes compared to Iloilo which only has 1.1 million votes and Gov. Niel Tupas promised to make the Opposition win. Sen. Angara must have a good coordinator here.

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I wanted to get more from the Senator on his thinking about agriculture. Of all the national officials very few do I know who have the welfare of the farmers at heart like Ed Angara. While agriculture secretary, he had very many good programs for the farmers. He needs media to tell the farmers in the rural areas that Senator Angara is agriculturally oriented. We cannot achieve progress for this country unless we improve the life of the people in the rural areas. And they are the farmers.

They constitute 70 percent of the population.

***

This is for our media people in Bacolod.

On Saturday from 9 to 5 in the afternoon, there will be a seminar on media election coverage to be conducted by Comelec Provincial Director Jesse Suarez and City Comelec Registrar Mavil Majarucon.

This is under the auspices of the Negros Press Club, the KBP and with the help of Gov. Joseph Marañon, Mayor Enrico Elumba of La Castellana, and Mayor Sonny Coscolluela of Murcia.

And also Vice Governor Isidro Zayco.

Comelec accredits media who cover the election and can enter the precincts. They will discuss the requirements to be given for accreditation.

I recall many years ago anyone who carried a press card had access to election precincts.

This is not true now. Reason is many posed as media men when they were not. I believe, it's good that one must be accredited to be able to cover the election as a media man.

***

Analysts are right when they say the election for national officials, particularly the Senators, will be decided by media. Whoever has an effective media exposure and coverage has a bigger edge to win.

And news reporters revealed the many Senatorial candidates who have already spent a big sum for media. The main outlet so far is television. It has more effect for name recall.

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At the Negros Press Club yesterday, one question raised on the topic of candidates' expense for media, how much of these goes to media? Many of the candidates pocket the money they get from sponsors and contributors.

That's why after election there are people who lose but win. "Pierde sa partido, da-ug sa partida." Or unlucky in the election but a winner in the transaction.

This explains why so many people do not get tired of running.

***

During the induction of the new officers of the Negros Press Club yesterday, nobody knew Shoe Mart would open that day. If SM did not announce it, that's their privilege.

But, many complained to me that when they went to SM, they were denied entry. One of them was NPC Secretary Edgar Cadagat who promised to give SM a piece of his mind.

Many blamed me for praising SM when they found out its management has some arrogance. I don't blame SM. The fault is with media. Why go to a place when you are not invited? And what will you get from an inauguration? And why blame SM if it does not have a PR department taking care of its publicity. It believes it is so big that it does not need all these.

That is why competition is really good. Because of the opening of SM Mega Mall, local department stores, Gaisano, Lopue's, and others are going into sales blitzes.

For the heck of it, I went around yesterday. They have slashed their prices to the minimum. See for yourself.

This will put SM in its proper place, that because it is very big, it can just bully the other stores. Don't believe what I say. Visit these stores and compare.*

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