Once upon a time in a faraway land, there was a tiny
kingdom. There lived a wizard in a chateau meeting with his minions on the
pressing need to elect a new leader.
Wizard (W): I
need answers to five questions. First, is the candidate prepared to handle the requirements
of the job?
Minion (M) 1: His
father, who plundered the kingdom, said he’s lazy.
W: Second, does
the candidate want the job?
M 2: His wife said
he’s unsure about the job, but changed his mind after watching a mystery play about a
former convicted thief who could shrink into a tiny insect.
W: Third, will
the candidate fit into the kingdom’s culture?
M 3: He lied
about his education, missed paying his taxes, never apologized for his father’s
ill-gotten wealth, though he has enjoyed them, and is scared of the art of
disputations.
W: Fourth, will the
candidate move the kingdom forward?
M 4: His father
moved the kingdom backward.
W: Finally, who
is his reference?
WOULD YOU SAY “YES”?
The day before the meeting of the wizard and his
minions, the candidate had dropped by your place and asked you to be his reference.
As a reference to the candidate, you would reassure the wizard that he would be
making the right decision for the kingdom in electing the candidate as the new leader.
You would be standing up for the candidate’s public service experience,
educational records, and character. To be the candidate’s reference, would you
say “Yes”?
In today’s political context, the synonymous term for “reference”
serving the same purpose is called “endorsement.” When a group or an
organization endorses a candidate, say, VP Leni, for PH presidency, they put
the name of their group on their published announcement and lend its name and
reputation as VP Leni’s advocate for her presidential run. Some groups have even
affixed the signatures over the names of their high officials to attest to the
veracity of their endorsements.
ENDORSEMENTS THRASH SURVEY RESULTS
Endorsements nip survey results in the bud. At its
best, a survey is a mere snapshot of a small number (due to costly ground
operation) of voters’ perception at a given time; at its worst, “it is a junk
science… often statistical methods are misused while providing an air of
scientific legitimacy.” ("Surveys and Dirty Little Secret”)
If you’re into selling newspapers and magazines, endorsements are like subscriptions: your actual sales equals your stock for the period – that maximizes your profit due to sold-out copies. On the other hand, surveys are like newspaper and magazine stores that merely rely on projected sales from walk-in customers. In like manner, if you’re in a sari-sari store business, endorsements are like your “suki.” It makes the great difference between certainty and wish for customers at any day. VP Leni has a lot of “suki.”
TALLY OF VP LENI’S ENDORSEMENTS TO DATE AND COUNTING
160 Economists plus 5 former NEDA chiefs & former
CB deputy governor
150+ Law deans and professors nationwide
180,000-member Alliance of Concerned Teachers
1,000+ Educators of the La Salle schools in the
country
400 Educators of the University of Santo Tomas
300 Faculty Members
and Staff of the San Beda University
250 Alumni of Asian Institute of Management
2,000+ Scholars, Alumni & Faculty of Philippine Science High School
150+ Human Rights Lawyers (FLAG, SALIGAN, ALG, UPL)
130 Former Officials & Staff of Philippines
Commission on Women (PCW)
700+ Doctors, Nurses & Frontliners of Cavite
23 Former President Fidel V. Ramos government
officials
47 Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo government
officials
95 Former President Benigno Aquino Jr. administration
government officials
16 Former Presidents of the Philippine Bar Association
Current & Former Heads/Presidents of Schools,
Colleges, and Universities
Individual Faculty Members & Staff of Ateneo
Professional Schools
PHILRECA Party List (represents 121 electric
cooperatives, 23 FVR officials)
Pamalakaya (Fishermen’s group)
Makabayan
Pinunong Pinay Power
Kilusang Mayo Uno
The Alliance of Labor Leaders for Leni (All4Leni)
Federation
of Free Workers
Nagkakaisa
at Progresibong Manggagawa, Kapatiran
National
Union of Bank Employees
National Congress of Unions in
the Sugar Industry
4 Women Leaders of Indigenous Tribes from Mindanao
Panayanon and Panay Bukidnon IPs and Indigenous
Cultural Community
Leni Urban Poor (15-organization coalition)
Alyansa Agricultura
Bangsamoro Supports Leni for Justice and Peace
Human Rights Vote 2022 (coalition of HRDs, activists
and human rights groups)
Five National Artists of the Philippines
The LGBTQ+ community
First Ko Si Leni coalition
Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino
Seniors for Leni
Students for Leni (student councils nationwide)
1Sambayan
Lipa Archdiocesan Council of the Laity
Council of the Laity of Calapan in Oriental Mindoro
Council of the Laity of the Apostolic Vicariate of
Taytay
100+ members of religious order Society of Jesus
Pari Madre Misyonero Para Kay Leni (Religious men and
women in Philippines)
Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas
Missionary Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica’s
Priory
Couples For Christ International Council
Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon community
Tahanan ng Panginoon community
VP LENI’S QUALITY OF WORK & EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS
“I believe earning endorsement comes down to two
essential elements: the quality of your work and the emotional connections you
create.” (Kevin Paul Scott, “The Power of Endorsement”)
For VP Leni’s quality of work, the following awards
speak volumes.
The Civil Service Commission Award: Prime-HRM Level II
Accreditation for Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management
The Development Academy of the Philippines Award for
Government Best Practices for Covid-19 Response: Community Learning Hubs and
Free Shuttle and Ferry Services for front-liners
People of the Year 2021 Special Award for Public
Service for her OVP anti-poverty program Angat Buhay
ISO 9001: 2015 Recertification award after a successful
audit by TOV Rheinland of OVP quality management system.
Commission on Audit (COA) gave OVP the highest audit
rating for three consecutive fiscal years 2018, 2019, and 2020.
For VP Leni’s emotional connections, the ever-spreading
“pink explosion” rallies that have been blushing the face of the political
landscape across the country have said it all.
Wizard: Are you candidate Leni’s reference?
Would you say “Yes”?
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