Philippine President Benigno Aquino III flashes a ‘Laban’ fight sign with his senatorial candidates for the 2013 mid-term elections, his cousin Bam Aquino (left) and Risa Hontiveros (right) during the senate slate proclamation at the Club Filipino in eastern Manila, Philippines yesterday

Philippine politicians yesterday launched their bids for more than 18,000 national and local positions up for grabs in mid-term elections next year that could make or break President Benigno Aquino III’s reform agenda.
Candidates for Congress and provincial and local posts trooped with their supporters to offices of the Commission on Elections nationwide to file their certificates of candidacy for the vote on May 13. Aquino urged Filipinos to choose candidates who would support his government’s programmes to stamp out corruption, boost the economy and alleviate poverty while promoting good governance and transparency. “We have shown that change is not impossible,” he told a gathering of his political party and its allies in which they announced their alliance’s Senate candidates. “We can continue moving forward if we have allies that are prepared to work with us.”
“You need to send a strong message that reform is right, change is good and that what we have been doing the past two years is correct,” he said.
Since Aquino was elected president in 2010, the Philippine economy has become one of the fastest growing in South-East Asia, the country’s sovereign ratings have improved and former officials accused of graft and corruption have been charged in court. Aquino is pushing for key legislation that would further increase government revenues, such as increases in tax rates on alcohol and cigarettes and amendments to the country’s mining act to increase revenue shares for the government. DPA

Marcos widow to run again
The 83-year-old widow of late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos will seek a second term as congresswoman, an aide said yesterday, as the family seeks to extend a remarkable political comeback.  Imelda Marcos plans to file her candidacy this week for next year’s mid-term elections to represent Ilocos Norte, a northern province where the patriarch was born and which has for decades been the main support base for the family. “She is filing her candidacy for congresswoman in Ilocos Norte. The filing is most likely Wednesday or Thursday,” her chief of staff, Filadelfo Diaz said. Her daughter, Imee, 56, who was elected governor of Ilocos Norte in 2010, will also seek a second three-year term, her chief aide, Elena Mequitola said.
Meanwhile, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, 55, the son and namesake of the ex-president, remains one of the country’s highest-profile politicians after winning a six-year term in the Senate in the 2010 elections.