From Mindanao to the Visayas and most parts of Luzon, grassroots supports are mobilized by local leaders who compose the political machine of the ruling administration.
That is the decided advantage of a sitting President running for election, a unique case under the Constitution that assures President Arroyo of an efficient network of party workers that provides the needed excitement to sustain the headway being made by her campaign.
In Mindanao, for instance, reports that she is unopposed in at least three provinces speak of the effectiveness of her strategic moves, topped by the fact that opposition leaders themselves have vowed not only to make her win but to make it a landslide victory for her and her team in their turfs.
The pledges of support were contained in separate manifestoes presented to her at the launching of the Lanao Unity Movement for GMA.
In Bulacan, we learned all the congressmen in the four districts of the province were taking a unified stance in support of Gloria Arroyo.
And so are all the governors in the six Bicol provinces, although with a twist: Bicol is a Roco country and come what may, it will go behind its highly respected son.
That’s a given, probably like Gloria in Pampanga (and in Pangasinan?).
What is certain is that GMA will be a close second in Bicol with Fernando Poe and the rest trailing behind, except probably in Masbate where FPJ has close relatives in her mother side — or doesn’t he know?
But the significant development to come out between the administration party and the opposition was the coalition agreement signed the other day by Speaker Jose de Venecia, president of the ruling Lakas-CMD and Senator Gregorio Honasan, chairman of the Philippine Guardians Brotherhood Inc.
The agreement is important in light of the opposition’s oft-repeated allegation of the administration’s plan to commit fraud to win the May 10 elections.
Honasan, as everybody knows, is head of Fernando Poe’s security and anti-poll fraud operations.
The agreement specifically pledges "to promote within the Brotherhood and the Filipino people support for the vigorous implementation of programs for peace, unification, reconciliation and development being undertaken by the present administration of President Macapagal Arroyo and the platform of good governance, political, economic, social and constitutional reforms of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats."
The agreement, De Venecia explained, calls for mutual assistance and cooperation in ensuring a transparent, credible, and peaceful election.
"This is to dispel pre-election tension and calm fears of post election destabilization," the House leader said.
But Vicente Sotto, Poe’s personal manager, looks at it from another angle, saying the administration’s hands are tied by the agreement when it comes to election fraud.
And so are theirs.
Aside from the coalition agreement which was initiated by Lakas-CMD, President Arroyo has also directed the Foreign Affairs Department to extend invitations to representatives from the European Union and the ASEAN neighbors to observe the May 10 local and national elections.
Observers from the United States have also been monitoring the election campaign around the country.
All these, including PEACE — — peaceful, enlightened, accurate, clean, and credible election — — should be for the good of the country.
The last days of any presidential campaign are often bruising but in the case of President Arroyo she makes the dignity of the presidency work for her.
As may be observed, when she appears before any gathering with her at the presidential pulpit, it is with the formality of her office that she exudes and the people respect her for that.
Instinctively, she knows when to be presidential.
But she is often derided, too, by her critics when she responds to please the crowd such as when she dances and sings on stage.
But she does that, I assume, to allow the public to see her human side – and win votes.
And she will: With the momentum of her campaign gaining more grounds than previously expected, the avalanche of determined voters could make her victory decisive and possibly unprecedented.
