Remembrance of Things Past

Surfing the net looking for data on past presidential elections, I came across this archived article from December 1997 in Asiaweek. It's a primer on the run-up to the '98 elections. Reading it, I was struck by all the names still in the game today. A few interesting quotes...

"Ramos's choice was hailed by many Lakas members. 'Joe will make a good president,' says Manuel Villar, congressman for Las Piñas. 'He has vast experience in economics, foreign affairs, even security. He has shown his skill in handling talks with [Muslim and Communist insurgents].' Fellow congressman Gary Teves agrees: 'Joe has talent interacting with people. He's very patient and a very good conciliator.'"

"Other potentially tough opponents for de Venecia include Senators Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Miriam Defensor Santiago (the latter was narrowly defeated by Ramos in 1992), who rank No. 2 and No. 3 respectively in popularity surveys. De Venecia's rating has largely languished in single digits, though one recent Metro Manila poll put him ahead. He sees an advantage in the number of opposition hopefuls. 'The opposition will be split,' he reckons. 'In that event, we are sure to win.'"

Wishful thinking, Joe.

Hard to believe it was almost 10 years ago. We're still living the aftermath of that particular electoral exercise.