Action for Economic Reforms (AER) has consistently advocated progressive economic policies and good governance. But good and correct policies will never be put in place without the right public officials. Our experience with the Estrada presidency teaches us that we cannot afford to have selfish, corrupt and unworthy officials. Otherwise, without committed and principled leaders, social and economic development will continue to elude our poor nation.

Some surveys show that a few Estrada senatorial candidates have managed still to land in the top 13, albeit at the tail-end, thus edging out far worthier candidates like Bobby Tanada and Winnie Monsod who, according to the surveys, suffer from low public awareness. This immediately suggests two tasks for us: one, inform the people that the likes of Tanada and Monsod are running, and two, convince them to vote for these worthy candidates. At the same time, we must continue to relentlessly expose the pro-Estrada candidates so that their conversion rates (i.e., translating public awareness into votes) will plunge.

The pro-Estrada Puwersa ng Masa senatorial candidates are relics of fascism and barbarism. They are the ugliest expressions of corruption and cronyism, of deception and coercion, of hubris and naked abuse of power. We must reject all of them, and we join other progressive forces in campaigning for their defeat.

There is also prima facie evidence that a number of Estrada candidates are liable for criminal and civil prosecution for acts committed during the previous administration. We urge the government not to hesitate in the filing of the relevant charges and, if the charges will be non-bailable ones, to put them in jail. In fact, the credibility of and regard for the administration and its candidates will increase the sooner that the ousted President and the concerned pro-Estrada candidates are prosecuted.

And even as we aim to shut the pro-Estrada candidates, we will likewise focus our campaign on our core candidates--all of them are progressives who have consistently fought for democracy, sustainable development, and poverty eradication.

Bobby Tanada, Winnie Monsod, Joker Arroyo, Juan Flavier, and Kiko Pangilinan have already proven their commitment to the people's interests and their being principled in all the posts they have held in either the executive or legislative branches of government. We have no doubt that as senators they will continue to be committed and principled.

Bobby Tanada as senator and congressman has always upheld nationalist and pro-people positions on such issues as the prosecution of human rights abusers, dismantling of the US Bases, promotion of agrarian reform, and the protection of the poor coconut farmers. His brand of nationalism all the more becomes relevant as the nation faces the challenges of globalization.

Winnie Monsod, as former economic planning secretary, as teacher, as head of the Human Development Network and as a courageous woman--has fought for important socioeconomic reforms and measures that uphold the interests of the people, especially the poor. This, even when some of her positions were not considered "popular." Monsod has been at the forefront of struggles for debt reform, progressive and efficient taxation, competitive exchange rate, social development spending, and social safety nets.

Joker Arroyo has always stood for human rights and has bravely fought for them even in the face of danger to his own life and safety, and at the risk of losing all livelihood that may be derived from his law practice. He has gained even more stature in the people's eyes with his outstanding performance in the recent impeachment trial of former President and now-deposed Joseph Estrada.

Juan Flavier as health secretary brought his mass-oriented and folksy approach to people's health through promotion of primary health care, improving people's access to health services, nationwide vaccination campaigns, pro-family planning measures, among others. His vaccination campaigns now serve as a model of sorts for other third world nations.

Kiko Pangilinan is the new type of activist with a big heart and a progressive vision. Over the years, he has shown consistency in fighting for what is right, even if it meant personal sacrifice. At the time he was a student leader, he was removed from his fraternity for voting a radical, and a non-fraternity brod in the election of the UP president in the late 1980s. That he also took up the cudgels for the victims of salvaging (the Kuratong Baleleng case comes to mind) is noteworthy, considering that this incurred the ire of police brutes like the notorious Panfilo Lacson.

Let us fully support them in any way we can and vote for them to the Senate. They deserve nothing less. And we deserve nothing less as well.

At the same time let us intensify our efforts in opposing the pro-Estrada candidates and shut them out in the coming elections.