FORGET the Social Weather Station or Pulse Asia surveys. We polled the friends of One Philippines for their Top Ten senatorial candidates and the results are as amusing as the reasons for their choices. Here are the partial returns…

1-3. All 3 Kapatiran candidates (Martin Bautista, Zosimo Paredes and Adrian Paredes) - They have to be the most sincere guys in the race. Got their hearts and minds in the right place, too.

4. Chiz Escudero - Even if he turns out to be half the man he appears to be, panalo na rin.

5. Manny Villar - Love him, hate him, he’s done a decent job.

6. Kiko Pangilinan - See preceding entry.

7-8. Alan Peter Cayetano and Ping Lacson - Don’t really like them but need more people to pester the Palace imp.

9-10. Ralph Recto and Migs Zubiri - May be admin but they make sense. Hopefully hold on to that sense, too, but hey, everything is a gamble.

Alternate choice: Sonia Roco, if for no other reason than to pay honor to the late Raul.

Dropped Joker because, sadly, he has chosen to gloss over the killings, even tried to rationalize them. Sayang.

- NONOY, news reporter

1. Chiz Escudero - Very promising presidential timber. Opposition.

2. Joker Arroyo - Because I always liked Juan Ponce Enrile and Joker recently used JPE’s helicopter on the campaign trail.

3. Panfilo Lacson - Some are smarter than others and Ping is smarter than most. Opposition.

4. Gregorio Honasan - Because I always liked Juan Ponce Enrile and he was once very close to him. Also, batchmate of Ping at the PMA and identified with opposition.

5. Loren Legarda - Opposition. Still pretty.

6. Antonio Trillanes IV - I want to see someone who can’t personally campaign win. Opposition.

7. Tito Sotto - Because I grew up with Tito, Vic and Joey’s humor. Former opposition.

8. Sonia Roco - My dad’s a Bicolano who always voted for Raul Roco when he was still with us.

9. Tessie Aquino-Oreta - Former opposition and the last candidate on Team Unity’s ticket that GMA wants to win.

10. Ralph Recto - Because I always liked Juan Ponce Enrile and Recto also used JPE’s helicopter on the campaign trail.

- EDWIN, bank credit investigator

1. Allan Peter Cayetano

2. Chiz Escudero - Speaks with conviction, fights with reason. But I hope he does something about his monotone voice and kilometric sound bites.

3. Noynoy Aquino - Dugong Bayani, Pusong Bayani

4. Kiko Pangilinan - Pragmatic political disposition.

5. Manny Villar - His frugality may just take this country somewhere.

6. Jokey Arroyo - Goes on standing the test of time.

7. Koko Pimentel - He is his father’s son...itching to prove himself

8. Wala na

9. Wala na

10.Wala na

- DEE DEE, communications specialist

1. Escudero - Para balanse ang pagpapalakad ng Pinas, kelangan ng opposition, at mas okay na siya dun sa iba. You have to hand it to him. He has integrity. He aligned himself with the group he believed in and is sticking to that group even if it’s career suicide.

2. Pangilinan - Good job so far, so why not.

3. Lacson - From my perspective, he has proven his sincerity to be of service to the country.

4. Roco - Ito...I’m hoping lang na maitutuloy niya ang laban ng kanyang asawa.

- NICKY, 30, from the education sector

My Top 10 Choice: RAVEL + JAPAN

It makes sense. The late 19th century French composer Maurice Ravel never went to Japan, but he and his peers – including Debussy, Toulouse Loutrec, Van Gogh – were so impressed by Japanese prints and music that they broke the traditional rules of Old World aesthetics, and brought Europe forward, to the 20th century. So we need this batch of candidates to bring our country… out of purgatory!

R - Roco, Sonia
A - Allan Cayetano
V - Villar, Manuel
E - Escudero, Chiz
L - Loren Legarda

J - Joker Arroyo
A - Aquino, Noynoy
P - Pangilinan, Kiko
A - Adrian Sison
N - Nikki Coseteng

Roco Sonia. I voted Roco for President in ‘04. I know Sonia’s background, hard work and her commitment to women, the arts, and education. I will vote (again) for Roco!

Allan Cayetano. In a time when more powerful and experienced men tremble before Mike Arroyo, this guy dares throw him hard punches. We need a fearless idealist like Allan in the Senate.

Manuel Villar. Did you notice that he was the only senatorial candidate that put out a campaign plug against violence against women? Plus he made a strong stand against Cha-cha.

Chiz Escudero. I am partial to someone who realizes the importance of culture and the arts in nation-building, and to someone who has spoken up against discrimination.

Loren Legarda. Loren proudly speaks of her commitment to women’s rights. She didn’t hide being a survivor of an unhappy marriage. She is smart and showed spunk going up against Noli and GMA in ‘04.

Joker Arroyo. He’s the only one from GMA’s camp I am supporting now. Not at all an ass-licker, he remains a human rights lawyer at heart, a brilliant one at that.

Noynoy Aquino. He could have traded his family legacy for more money and power, but stayed faithful to the ideas of democracy. Plus I think he listens well to his mother’s advice.

Kiko Pangilinan. I couldn’t stand how he threw away the voice of the people with his “noted” role in the 2004 canvassing. However, I think he realized his mistake, and has made a stand against the administration’s forays into dictatorship.

Adrian Sison. He is the gender-sensitive and articulate lawyer-communicator from Ang Kapatiran party. Being a broadcaster, he will defend our constitutional right to free expression.

Nikki Coseteng. I have worked closely with Nikki and know her to be highly intelligent, non-conformist, creative and truly nationalistic. She could be tight-fisted… but, hey, don’t we sometimes need that in this government?
I’m still considering the last two slots. I wish there were more credible women running. For party list, go for the progressive groups! There’s Bayan Muna, Kabataan, and of course, Gabriela!

- ANNA SARABIA, founder, Can’t Live
in the Closet, a gay rights group

‘I promised myself I’d vote for all the Kapatiran bets because I pity them. They don’t have the resources for a good campaign. Dahil sa awa. Hahaha!’

1. Chiz Escudero - Pwede na
2. Joker arroyo - At least credible siya ng konti
3. Allan Peter Cayetano - He gives the impression of being a man of principle
Sorry, 3 lang talaga at wala na kaming mapiling matino at hindi mukhang magnanakaw
- Titus Brandsma Media Program staff

1. Chiz Escudero
2. Loren Legarda
3. Trillanes
4. Lacson
5. Cayetano
6. Roco
7. Pimentel
8. Villar
9. Coseteng
10. Sotto

- Ernie, 38, writer

1. Joker Arroyo – Talks straight to the point. No nonsense. Credible.
2. Allan Cayetano – Young, well-well educated, feisty (with his fight against the First Gentleman, hehe ).
3. Chiz Escudero – Same with Allan. I also like his bill on housing for teachers.
4. Ping Lacson – He’s known for law n order. (Ehem.)
5. Kiko Pangilinan – SHARONIAN ako! Levity aside, I admire him for being a REAL independent regardless of others’ opinion.
6. Sonia Roca – She’s a teacher.
7. Manny Villar – He’s a good businessman and a politician. I’ve met him personally.
8. Miguel Zubiri – Gwapo!!! JOKE... Same impression with Chiz and Allan, mala SPICE BOYS ba...
9. Loren Legarda – Ok lang. Di ba galit siya dati kay Erap? Why now super kapit siya sa kanila?? Well, kaysa ke BUBOY ‘n GOMA, pwede na xia.
10. Wala na ko mapiga.
I’ve seen and read the records of these candidates and in my humble opinion, they are far better than others.
But on election day po, I will write the names of the candidate decided upon by our Church (INC).

- FEBE S. SEVILLA, educator

1 - Joker Arroyo
2 - Francis Pangilinan
3 - Ralph Recto
4 - Manuel Villar
5 - Edgardo Angara
6 - Benigno Aquino III
7 - Loren Legarda
8 - John Osmena
9 - Nikki Coseteng
10 - Sonia Roco
- MARCIA CASTAÑED
This is so tough to do coz of lack of qualified candidates. Here’s an attempt:
1. Francis Pangilinan Decent track record.
2. Joker Arroyo We owe him one for what he did to Erap.
3. Ralph Recto Puede na.
4. Chiz Escudero At least to fiscalize.
5. Mike Defensor Okay naman siya.
That’s it!!! I don’t want to vote for anyone whom I feel is not qualified just to fill in the slots.
- JORGE C. BUENAVENTURA
1. Sen. Manny Villar - A proven leader...masipag at matiyaga...has political will
(most number of passed laws for a term of a senate presidency).
2. Ralph Recto - Has political will...I believe the e-vat helped improve the economy.
3. Kiko Pangilinan - An intelligent senator.
4. Migs Zubiri - Young, intelligent, aggressive, has political will.
5. Chavit Singson - Champion of the provinces.
6. Mike Defensor - Young, aggressive.
7. Joker Arroyo - The guru...pag bad ka...lagot ka... =)
8. Prospero Pichay - May pangarap...hehehe.
9. Isip po ako kung me gusto pa ako iboto...hehehe.

- ARA SOLIDUM

I have high regard for the following candidates:
1. Francis Escudero - Crafty operator. Unfortunately on Erap’s political side. Since he is still young, he has time to build his own identity, so he gets a pass (for now).
2. Sonia Roco - Even smarter than her late husband, and we all know he had the wattage to be President.
3. Koko Pimentel - A chip off the old block, though I hope in time he will not be as jaded as Nene. By the way, he topped the bar so he isn’t stupid.
4. Antonio Trillanes - People shouldn’t judge him by his coup-plotter persona. There are more troubling things in our military but give this guy some credit. He is young, idealistic, and brings a fresh paradigm into higher office.

Candidates I could do with, but hmmm....

1. Noynoy Aquino - A lackluster Congressman who is likely to be a lackluster Senator. Still, we need someone from outside the admin fold to make the Senate more credible.

2. Joker Arroyo - Pragmatic, but brought nothing notable during his Senate run. Also owes GMA political debt, so his future performance in Senate will be questionable. However, he brings some intellectual pedigree to the Senate (which needs it).

I’m reserving my last three slots for Zosimo Paredes, Martin Bautista and Adrian Sison of Kapatiran, primarily because they are new faces, and second, because they represent an alternative to the current system. If, however, I will need to vote “tactically” I will put in Manny Villar (unbuyable, but a political butterfly), Ping Lacson (tougher, provides a confrontational Senate which would be required for the next three years of the Arroyo administration) and “perhaps” a toss-up between Francis Pangilinan and Allan Peter Cayetano. Pangilinan is an enigma and looks “buyable” while Cayetano is all flash and thunder but definitely is no rainmaker during his time as Congressman, but at least he has guts.

Minuses for Pimentel and Cayetano because of the dynasty issue, but I think for Koko that would be negligible.

Definitely not:
“Showbiz” - Cesar Montano, Richard Gomez (intellectual blowhards with aspirations of grandeur), Tito Sotto (useless during his time as senator), Nikki Coseteng (nondescript)
Crossed too many political fences - Tessie Aquino-Oreta, John Osmeña, Ed Angara

Adding more garbage to the Senate - Chavit Singson, Vic Magsaysay, Prospero Pichay

Passes could be given to:
Still young, can still change - Mike Zubiri, Mike Defensor
Chose the wrong side to nurture their ambitions - Loren Legarda (for siding with Erap after her “crying” incident in the impeachment trial), Ralph Recto (another trying-hard intellectual whose best accomplishment is marrying Vilma Santos)

And if Datu Adel Tamano were running, I’d give my vote to him and remove Joker from my list.

OTEP, 35, “volunteer by heart,
OFW by profession”