THE lay of the land is such that the independents seem to be dictating the shape of things for the Aquino administration come 2016. One would notice the offensive of the independents in the news cycle over the weekend, hugging the news and going on overdrive so it dictates the pace at the start of the week. Denials are made during the days going to the weekend, thereby creating a buzz. Even the so-called Third Force is gaining imagined strength when a major broadsheet decided to make it news and do a front-page shout out, “powerful 3rd Force shaping up.”

BEIJING, China: Taking a trip sponsored by The State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China and ASEAN-China Center, organized by the China International Publishing Group and the China Report, as well as representing The Manila Times is a unique experience to say the least. Learning about the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road is an opportunity one cannot pass. So despite the load of work and the increased noise to herald the oncoming political exercise, a nine-day break was most welcomed.

When surveys are released, immediately media kicks in with an array of interpretations, even declaring whoever is ahead as already the winner. When much has to do with the research design (qualified voters, likely voters or registered voters) and question framing and then you will have the field work and the data crunching that eats almost three to four weeks causing a result that is dated when released. And that is where the problem lie–we react on dated results.

ALTHOUGH BSA3 has given the go signal to use machinery and resources to promote the presumptive candidate and every event is being used to extol the presumptive’s qualities, we now know that it seems being on top of the list is not assurance of endorsement despite the calls of party leaders and officers to already make a declaration.

Japan is crucial and hedging while ASEAN is recalibrating due to the integration of the member-states to be known as the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by December 2020.

IT’S one week before June and four months to October, unless COMELEC decides to move the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy to December 2015. No Calendar of Activities has been released by COMELEC and truly that is bothersome. That is one red flag that needs immediate and careful attention.

FAIRNESS has never been a virtue in the political arena. You need always to be ahead of one’s opponent. The ability to throw mud is measured on the ability to win the perception war. Often, politics has been viewed as a bloody sport. Till one is hit badly and blood colors the canvass, it is alright to hit more. And this script is nothing new to us Filipinos. Remember Daang Hari in relation to then Senate President Manny Villar and the magical term, Villaroyo, concocted by the same dirty minds of today? The old script is being played again.

SUNDAY was not a good day for Filipinos worldwide with the unanimous decision rendered by the judges to a fight dubbed as the “Fight of the Century” that went the distance. The Mayweather-Pacman fight was expensive, the hype was too much and the fight was not.

WE had rains yesterday in some parts of the metropolis and finally it seems the land was able to breath from the scorching heat. Alas, it was like all the steam came out from the fissures of Metro Manila. Power is a big issue during summer when more Filipinos are using it twice or thrice the capacity due to mercury rising. And as we try to cool ourselves, stable supply and pricing become daily discussion topics in Filipino households.

INDEED 2016 is fast approaching and October is five months away before aspirants file their certificates of candidacy. By June, we would have a clearer environment on who are running for the presidency. Would a late September filing be in the making? We hope this does not happen since it would be to the interest of the voters to get to know the candidates more and be able to scrutinize the candidates well but not in a manner of demolishing each other just to prove to all one is clean. There’s got to be a better way to screen out candidates. Absent any primaries and run offs, we need to devise a mechanism whereby we are able to select well given the options.

THE idiomatic expression “taking the bull by the horns” means to grasp the problem head-on and struggle through it. “To confront your problem instead of avoiding them.” The saying stems from the practice of bull-leaping that was practiced on the isle of Crete. It means to take control of the situation.

A WEEK ago, the Joint Foreign Chambers and Philippine business organizations met to celebrate the 4th anniversary of Arangkada. Unfortunately, BSA3 was a no show at this high roller event. Worst, his speech was read, without much passion and nary an eye contact with the audience, by the literal cabinet secretary, Rene Almendras.