THE Liberal Party’s Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Cojuangco Aquino III was the most covered candidate in the country’s three biggest newspapers during the first three weeks of the official campaign. Manuel “Manny” Villar of the Nacionalista Party followed closely. A far third was administration candidate and former Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr.
Compared with that of the presidential candidates, print coverage of the vice-presidential and senatorial candidates was far less. More disappointing was the coverage of party-list groups despite serious concerns over whether all of the groups that had been accredited by the Commission on Elections —187 as of press time—really represent “marginalized” sectors as the Party List Law mandates. More…