Arroyo forces gearing up for 2010; Lakas, Kampi to merge

MANILA, Philippines - Amid the continuous plunge of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s popularity in surveys, majority parties Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) and Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats have decided to merge to prop up the chances of the administration’s victory in the 2010 polls. As Congress began session on Monday, April 13, Speaker Prospero Nograles and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte ended their leadership of the two parties. Nograles and Villafuerte are presidents of Lakas-CMD and Kampi, respectively. The resignations, according to Nograles and Villafuerte, was a move to give Mrs. Arroyo the steering wheel to drive the administration to electoral victory next year. “In order to fast-track the process of merger and give President Arroyo a free hand in determining the appropriate leadership structure for the prospective consolidated party, we hereby announce our respective resignations…" said Nograles and Villafuerte in a joint statement. "Among other advantages, a single political entity arising out of the merged Lakas and Kampi parties will allow, if not compel, administration allies to field single electoral tickets at the local level, thus enabling themselves to work for the victory of national candidates with greater unity and focus," the two added. Presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio, who chairs the two parties' National Consolidation and Unification Committee, will address all issues about the merger, which is expected to be completed within 45 days, according to Nograles and Villafuerte. Sagging popularity The popularity of Mrs. Arroyo – titular head of Lakas and chairman emeritus of Kampi – has consistently sagged in the surveys. In Pulse Asia’s survey conducted between October 2008 and March 2009, nearly half of the 90 million Filipinos or 46 percent disapproved of her presidential performance, while 45 percent expressed distrust in the chief executive. Social Weather Stations survey also showed Mrs. Arroyo’s dipping popularity. In its March 28 to 31, 2009 survey, SWS said the President’s net satisfaction rating went down to -26 in the first quarter of the year. In the 2007 elections, only three candidates – Edgardo Angara, Joker Arroyo, and Juan Miguel Zubiri – won under Mrs Arroyo’s Team Unity senatorial ticket. To pick Noli? Lakas and Kampi have not yet chosen their standard bearer for 2010. Nograles said the parties still "have to iron out the kinks on the local level" before they could pick their candidate. Earlier reports said Vice President Noli de Castro was being considered by some Lakas members as the administration’s presidential bet. De Castro, the first independent senatorial topnotcher, was also the first elected independent vice president. Though he joined K-4 coalition as Mrs Arroyo’s running mate in the 2004 presidential polls, De Castro still has to officially join Lakas or Kampi before being elected as the administration’s presidential bet, according to some Kampi officials. De Castro has topped the surveys for "presidentiables." Latest SWS survey showed that 29 percent of Filipinos favor De Castro as Mrs. Arroyo’s successor. De Castro is closely followed by Nacionalista Party’s Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. with 29 percent, and Sen. Loren Legarda with 26 percent. Villar is from the Nacionalista Party, while Legarda who used to be with Lakas, ran under the Genuine Opposition coalition in the 2007 polls. Cha-cha no more? Nograles said Lakas and Kampi's commitment to the conduct of the 2010 elections as scheduled should allay fears that they want political terms extended. "The elections will go through to disabuse your mind anymore that any proposal to amend the Constitution has something to do with extension of terms or converting to something that will not be in harmony with the presidential elections, the general elections, of 2010," he said. Nograles and Villafuerte have been slammed for their respective Charter change-related resolutions, with critics saying Mrs Arroyo's allies in the House were only interested in extending political terms, including that of the President. - with reports from Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV