Tag Archives: 2016 Presidential Elections

POLL: WHO WILL BE THE NEXT FIRST LADY OF THE PHILIPPINES?

December 5, 2014 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

From top left, clockwise: Binay, Cayetano, Sanchez, Pacquiao, Santiago, Marcos

Manila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Behind every man’s success is a woman, so the saying goes.

In the Philippines, despite a history and culture of patriarchy, women play an influential role in politics and society — especially if their husbands become presidents. Think Imelda Romualdez Marcos.

In 2016, the Filipino people will elect a new president after 6 full years of not having someone to call their First Lady. (President NoyNoy Aquino is a bachelor). Their fascination for First Ladies is as strong as their passion for their beauty queens. It almost doesn’t matter who is running for president; Filipino presidents always end up being deposed, impeached or jailed anyway. Filipinos are more interested on who becomes their First Lady.

Many have already indicated or hinted that they are running in 2016 to become Aquino’s successor. While polls show that Vice President Jejomar Binay is currently the front runner among the “presidentiables,” a few others have expressed confidence as strong contenders.

So let’s take a look not at the potential candidates for president but the potential First Ladies.

The Adobo Chronicles is conducting an online poll and we are asking our readers to participate in this preference survey.

1. Elena Binay, wife of the Vice President

2. Korina Sanchez, wife of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas

3. Lani Cayetano, wife of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano

4. Louise Araneta Marcos, wife of Senator Ferdinand (Bongbong) Marcos, Jr.

5. Miriam Defensor Santiago, senator. If she becomes president, she’ll also serve as First Lady, no doubt.

6. Dionisia Pacquiao, mother of Congressman and world champion boxer Manny Pacquiao. Manny has a wife (Jinkee), but mom has already said she would like to be the First Lady.

Please vote below. Who would you like to be the next Philippine First Lady?

Music, Politics

REPUBLICAN PARTY’S AMBITIOUS FUNDRAISER AT KENNEDY CENTER

September 17, 2014 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Washington, D.C. (The Adobo Chronicles) – The Grand Old Party (GOP) is leaving no stone unturned in its bid to gain full control of both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, not to mention the White House come 2016.

The Republic National Committee (RNC) is holding the biggest and most ambitious political fundraiser ever in the history of the U.S. It will be held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and will showcase the Three Tenors.

Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti in concert?

No. Ted Cruz, Chris Christie and Mitch McConnell. Tenors and Republicans all. Unknown to many, the three GOP leaders have had extensive training at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. All have agreed to join their voices together to raise campaign funds for both the 2014 and 2016 elections.

Each ticket costs $32,400, the maximum political contribution allowed by law from individuals and political action committees (PAC). Assuming that the concert will play to a full house at the Kennedy Center, the GOP is expected to raise a total of almost $80 Million. The concert hall as a capacity of 2,462.

The Adobo Chronicles has learned that the GOP tenors will be performing a repertoire consisting of songs from some of the world’s greatest operas like La Boheme, Rigoletto and Carmen. They will also sing songs from Broadway shows like The Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables.

The two-hour concert will be directed by Metropolitan Opera’s Music Director James Levine.

The Democratic National Committee refused to comment on the GOP fundraiser, saying that “we’ll do what we do best, that is, using social media.”

Politics, Tourism

IF ELECTED PRESIDENT, PHILIPPINE VP JEJOMAR BINAY WILL NOT STAY AT PRESIDENTIAL PALACE

September 3, 2014 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Malacañang Palace, official residence of the Philippine president

Manila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – The 2016 Philippine pr

esidential election is still twenty months away but already, Vice President Jejomar Binay is laying out plans for when he is elected the next president.

Binay continues to lead in the polls as the most likely to succeed President NoyNoy Aquino. By law, Aquino cannot seek reelection beyond his current six-year term. Unless, of course, he and his allies in Congress decide to amend the constitution.

Binay surprised reporters today when he said that if elected president, he is not going to reside in Malacañang, the Philippine presidential palace. Instead, he wants to continue living in the Coconut Palace.

Also known as Tahanang Pilipino (Filipino Home), the Coconut Palace is a government

The Coconut Palace, official residence of the Philippine Vice President

mansion commissioned in 1978 by former First Lady Imelda Marcos as a guest house for visiting royalty and dignitaries. During his 1981 visit to the Philippines, Pope John Paul II refused to stay there because it was too opulent given the level of poverty in the Philippines. It cost 37 million Philippine pesos to build it.

In 2011, it became the official residence and principal workplace of the Philippine Vice President.

“My family and I enjoy living in the Coconut Palace,” Binay said, “because it is much more comfortable — being situated by the scenic Manila Bay, as opposed to the filthy Pasig River.” The rear facade of Malacañang sits on the banks of the river.

The Coconut palace is shaped like an octagon while its roof is shaped like a traditional Filipino salakot or hat. Some of its highlights are the 101 coconut-shell chandelier, and the dining table made of 40,000 tiny pieces of inlaid coconut shells. Highlighted as one of the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ most striking structures for its architecture and interiors, the palace celebrates the coconut as the ultimate “Tree of Life.” The palace’s design echoes all the elements of the coconut tree — from its roots and trunk to its bark, fruit, flower and shell.

The Coconut Palace has been a guesthouse for many guests, including Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi, Brooke Shields and George Hamilton.

On the fifth season fifth season of the reality series The Amazing Race, the Coconut Palace served as the pit stop when the competing teams went to Manila.

20110617184715!Makati_City_Hall Binay and his family are known for their passion for structures that cost tons of money. Binay and his son, Makati City Mayor Junjun, are the subject of controversy and investigation for the new, overpriced Makati City Hall which began construction when the older Binay was mayor of Makati.

According to complaints, the Makati City government allocated P2.7 billion for the construction of the project when it only declared P1.5 billion as the total cost of the project.

Binay said that being near Manila Bay would make it easier for me to flee the country in the event of another People’s Revolution, referring to the citizen movement that drove Ferdinand Marcos out of power and into exile. The Coconut Palace is located relatively close to the U.S. Embassy in Manila and that certainly accounts for something.