DILG post won’t help Roxas’ presidential bid – analysts

MANILA, Philippines – Will his position as secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) help boost the presidential bid of Manuel “Mar” Roxas II in 2016?

A number of political analysts don’t think so – despite the agency’s supervision over local officials, the police organization, and its allocations that suddenly jumped for the coming pre-election year.

Political analysts told Lynda Jumilla on ANC’s Beyond Politics Tuesday night, December 2, the DILG post reinforces Roxas’ elitist image, and issues hounding the agency may also drag down his popularity.

“DILG is already there even before [him],” political science professor Ed Tayao pointed out. “There [have been] participatory steps already made in the agency,” and these are credited to previous department heads.

Secretary Jesse Robredo, a former mayor of Naga City, was the one credited for instituting mechanisms to measure the performance of local government units (LGUs) and lend transparency to their operations. Roxas only assumed the post in September 2012, after Robredo died in a plane crash.

Law professor Antonio Contreras said the DILG may have implemented reforms that centered on LGUs, “but these may be attributed to DILG, not to Roxas.”

Professor Grace Gorospe Jamon said the masses wouldn’t be concerned about Roxas’ performance in DILG, as “only people in governance will appreciate that.”

“For the masses, it doesn’t concern them. Roxas is still an elite for them,” she said.

Besides, said public administration professor Prospero de Vera, the LGUs are the weakest network to latch a national campaign on – they are not known to deliver bloc votes just because a candidate is from the DILG.

In fact, Tayao said, Roxas’ position at the DILG may even work against him, especially now that senators are raising questions about the agency’s P5.6 billion lump sum in its proposed budget for 2015. The amount is for programs that, senators said, do not fall under DILG’s mandate.

Improve messaging

The analysts agree that it would be difficult for Roxas to catch up in the surveys, given his difficulty connecting with the masses.

Campaign strategist Malou Tiquia said Roxas “wants to communicate only during campaign.” She described Roxas, whose first senatorial run she managed, as someone who “runs scientific campaign,” yet he needs to want the presidency badly enough.

“I dont think he wants it right now. He has to want it so we can help solve it,” she said.

In the latest Pulse Asia nationwide survey, Roxas saw his approval ratings nearly double since the previous survey, yet he still placed second to Vice President Jejomar Binay. 

“I dont know how to massage [him],” Jamon said. It would help Roxas, she said, if President Benigno Aquino III would endorse him as the administration’s official bet. – Reynaldo Santos Jr/Rappler.com