The 90-day campaign period for president, vice president, 12 senators, and 57 party-list representatives in the May 10, 2010 fully automated elections got off the ground Tuesday, with major political parties virtually using it as a show of force while lesser known parties used it as a symbolic gesture of hope.

This developed as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) officially turned over Tuesday the source code for the poll machines to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for safekeeping.

Despite the obvious display of political strength, Tuesday’s atmosphere was triumphant rather than riotous as the 45-day campaign period for members of the House of Representatives, governors, mayors, and other local positions will only start on March 26. The campaign period for both national and local positions ends May 8, 2010.

The political muscle in the campaign trails were provided by the Liberal Party (LP), the Nacionalista Party (NP), Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), and Lakas-Kampi-CMD, while Bangon Pilipinas Party gave the much needed symbolic gesture of hope.

The LP, led by Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino as its presidential candidate, and Sen. Mar Roxas as his running mate, started its nationwide campaign with a big political rally in Tarlac.

Aquino, who introduced the LP senatorial candidates led by former Senate President Franklin M. Drilon, said the big rally in Tarlac will be duplicated in various parts of the country.

The LP is hopeful it can cover the entire country during the 90-day campaign period provided by the Fair Election Act, Aquino said.

“We are facing a tough battle ahead. And so there is no other way but to start our fight right here where I came from, and where I feel recharged just to be with my townmates,” Aquino said to his fellow Tarlaceños who filled the Immaculate Conception Cathedral to the brim.

“Your love and support saw my parents’ through in the past. It was you who made us feel that we are not alone during those trying times. I came back here to feel the same way, to make me feel ‘na hindi ako nag-iisa,’” Aquino added.

In Calamba, Laguna, home province of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, Sen. Manny Villar, the NP party standard-bearer and his running mate Sen. Loren Legarda led the party’s rally with their entire senatorial ticket.

Villar said he decided to start his quest for the presidency in the hometown of the national hero to convey the sincerity and purity of his intention to lead the country in the next six years. He called the kick-off rally of the NP as the “90-Day Journey to a Better Philippines.”

Earlier Monday, Villar took a beating from his rivals during a presidential forum.

Villar, who closed in on his closest rival Aquino in the Pulse Asia survey, became the underdog as other presidential candidates Jamby Madrigal, Richard Gordon and JC de los Reyes took turn in accusing him of “using misleading ads.”

Villar’s opponents said he used his money to employ the services of celebrities in his advertisements to project himself as pro-poor and capable leader.

“If they think they can bring down the numbers of Senator Villar, they should think again. The people are tired of mudslinging. They can see through the hypocrisy of these desperate attempts to besmirch his name,” NP spokesman and senatorial bet Adel Tamano said.

Providing the symbolic gesture of hope was Bangon Pilipinas Party which unfurled the biggest Philippine flag at the Luneta in Manila.

Bangon’s presidential candidate Bro. Eddie Villanueva of Jesus is Lord (JIL) movement and former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Perfecto Yasay Jr., its vice presidential timber, led the unfurling of the flag accompanied by the senatorial candidates.

At the turnover of the source code, Comelec Chairman Jose Melo said: “We are here for the turnover of the source code. There are two of them. One is for the PCOS (Precinct Count Optical Scan) and the other is for the canvassing system.”

Melo described the process to the media while Mark Philips of Systest Labs placed the copy of the source code contained in two compact discs inside the small black steel box.

“You are all witnesses to this. There are two of them and then this hash code we’ll just put it also there. I’ll fold it and will insert it into the steel box and now we will close and seal it,” said Melo.

After closing the box, the Comelec chief even signed the paper seal as an added security.

The sealing was also witnessed by Commissioners Rene Sarmiento and Armando Velasco.