Why PUBLiCUS left Chiz Escudero (Part III)

Escudero's compartmentalized style formed 'independent republics' within the campaign team and the 'need-to-know' principle blinded the internal units of the team as to what the right and the left hands were doing. Nobody called any general meeting, only pockets of meetings in public venues. Early on, some friends already warned us about Escudero’s history of leaving people hanging dry. Looking back, that was exactly what PUBLiCUS, and all 40 individuals working in the campaign felt by end of October 2009.

Again, another red flag for Tiquia.  PUBLiCUS would never glorify moves such as getting into turf wars.  What PUBLiCUS was and has always been so bullish about is the satisfaction that the voting public would view its candidate positively –in this case, Escudero as a serious candidate with content. So after moving in and conducting a quick organizational audit of existing team, PUBLiCUS decided that there was a need to bulk up his stable of talents with marquee players.

So just before Yoly Ong was about to make a decision for her company’s 2010 engagement, Tiquia requested her to meet with Escudero. No strings attached. This proposition didn’t sit well with Escudero’s team but decisions have to be made fast if he was to be projected as a serious candidate. Ong and her colleague Marlyn Villapando met with Escudero and after a few days, decided that they would join the Senator’s Campaign Team. Their contract was also until June 2010. This effort was not favorably viewed by Escudero’s media and creative teams even after the contract was already signed. They thought Tiquia was packing in the campaign staff. This was nothing new for Tiquia, believing that a simple general meeting could clarify the work and the team could move as one amidst occasional rough seas.  Again, no meeting was made.
 
One of the issues PUBLiCUS had with Escudero was foot dragging. While PUBLiCUS was consistent in delivering on its commitments, as how professionals are expected to do, there were those in the campaign who simply didn’t. Yet, in most cases, Escudero gave way to these “team members” whims and caprices and instead of reprimanding them of their unprofessional demeanor at the very least, he tolerated their ways.

As agreed, PUBLiCUS set up a campaign portal called chiz2010.com for Escudero’s regional area coordinators, serving as the link between the national team and the ground troops.  Political officers were trained to think and behave as area coordinators and not as traditional political officers; hence, they recruited members and built the ground organization, covering the 38 vote-rich areas. When the Escudero campaign decided to downsize and close down some offices, Escudero had 25,000 troops on the ground.
 
There were also other parallel organizations: Iba Ito! Kasama Ako! Movement (ibaito.com), which was Escudero’s grassroots organization in 33 provinces; Youth 4 Chiz (youth4chiz.com), which was tasked to cover the five key cities nationwide; Yes Chiz or Young Entrepreneurs Support Chiz, handled by friends from the Jaycees; Bicolanos for Change; and Friends of Chiz, composed of Escudero’s fraternity brothers from the Alpha Phi Beta and some friends.
 
PUBLiCUS also managed an Experts Group that allowed a free-flowing discussion of issues between Escudero and key experts. PUBLiCUS would like to thank Dr. Arsenio Balisacan, Ms. Cora Guidote, Prof. Ofie Templo, Dr. Noel Leyco, Dr. Federico Macaranas, Dr. Vincent Fabella, former Budget Secretary Emy Boncodin, Prof. Serge Andal and still others who would like to maintain anonymity, for their valuable time and effort in crafting the Escudero Platform.  PUBLiCUS likewise worked with Sec. Boncodin for Escudero’s proposed six-year national budget – his ‘dream sequence’ as how he referred it to be.

When the nasty situation within the team couldn’t be handled anymore and was deemed by PUBLiCUS as not worth its energy and time, as a professional group, the company from its end went with the transition plan and made formal turnovers. However, the other end left out in the cold the 40 individuals that PUBLiCUS hired for the campaign – encoders, bloggers, platform staff, the web team, and 17 regional coordinators –without even Escudero ever meeting them personally and assuage their feelings of abandonment and uncertainty, or at the very least explain his moves. It was only the Senator’s Chief of Staff, Atty. Tan who relayed the message that the campaign was “downsizing due to limited fund” and then went ahead to ask for the keys of the office spaces occupied by the team then. That encounter was just insensitive and brutally cold.

Tan informed Tiquia of the decision on October 29 and its effect, the following day! A week after, Escudero’s fraternity brother tried to salvage the situation from disintegrating.  Interestingly, some quarters in the campaign questioned his authority.
 
A week after came another lie from the Escudero camp. Rumors had it that Tiquia pocketed the money for the “Bagong Sigla” Concerts. Such was a product of fertile minds of some members of the Escudero camp, but failed to verify if Tiquia even handled the money for the said concerts. They should have asked Atty. Tan first as he was the one who delivered 90 percent of the budget directly to Campaigns & Gray. The remaining 10 percent was still pending with Tan.
 
On hindsight, Tiquia was correct to broadcast that she resigned from the Escudero campaign because most of her friends were tapped in this engagement, particularly in crafting the platform and laying the organizational groundwork. Professionals do that. Operators just fade in the background waiting to be recycled in another campaign. But PUBLiCUS stands by Tiquia’s, that her credibility and integrity will not be sullied since the truth is there for the picking.
 
With his decision earlier this week not to seek any elective post in the 2010 Election, PUBLiCUS just wishes Senator Escudero the best in his endeavors.

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