An online miting de avance?
With social networking sites fast becoming indispensable, presidential candidates have made it a point to rally their “friends” and “tweeps” at the 11th hour of the campaign period.
In Facebook, Sen. Benigno Aquino III of the Liberal Party Sunday thanked the more than 1.3 million people who “like” his account.
“One more day and the new dawn shall be upon us. I thank the Yellow Army for supporting the Aquino-Roxas tandem and our senatorial slate. Let the sanctity of the vote prevail,” Aquino said on Facebook.
He also called on his supporters to “lock in arms and stay focused on the elections.”
Despite his low ratings in the surveys, administration standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro posted a defiant call to the over 358,000 people who “like” his account a few hours before the end of the three-month campaign period.
“Campaigning ends at 12 midnight and [it’s] time to put those ballers and T-shirts away. Through this political exercise, we have all realized there is good in all of us and still we are capable of so much more! We are all heroes because whatever the outcome, we have forever made a difference in our political landscape. Nothing will be the same again … Go for the win!” he said on Facebook.
In the microblogging site Twitter, Teodoro said he hoped his team had done its best to keep the people informed.
Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Manny Villar also made a last-ditch effort to tell some 1.4 million people who “like” his account that he was the most experienced candidate for the presidency.
“Experience has prepared me well in leading the nation win the war against poverty. Competence, experience, track record, industry and perseverance are qualities a true leader should possess. These and not popularity and emotion, will end our country’s woes. Thank you for your trust and support,” he said on Facebook.
Villar also called on his supporters to disregard the negative “propaganda” hurled against him during the campaign period as he reiterated his rise from a hard life to aspiring for the country’s top post.
Richard Gordon, Bagumbayan Party presidential candidate, informed his over 76,000 fans in one of his many Facebook accounts, that they would be part of the information gateway of his organization after the campaign period.
Gordon also thanked his supporters, especially those who helped in the campaign.
Instead of a parting message, Bangon Pilipinas standard-bearer Eddie Villanueva posted that he would file a petition asking the Commission on Elections to reset the polls to May 24 because of automation glitches.
Independent presidential candidate Nicanor Perlas also made a last call to the over 7,700 who “like” his Facebook account.
“We can choose to be mediocre with our apathy and pessimism. Or we can choose to participate in the most exciting possibility that awaits us today. If our voyage is successful, then there will only be one Philippines, the Philippines which many generations of Filipinos have sacrificed for: The Philippines of spirit, creativity, honor, freedom, solidarity, justice, love, and harmony with Nature,” Perlas said.
Facebook and other social networking sites have been extensively used by political candidates all over the world to reach out to the computer-using electorate.
It has been cited as one of the reasons Barack Obama won the US presidency.
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