Recent developments
The Manila Times reports that MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando won't be running as vice president now that Arroyo has chosen Kabayan Noli de Castro as her running mate. Wise move. Fernando would be better off MMDA chairman than vice president. His work sprucing up metropolitan Manila can serve as a platform for a run for higher office later. If he can do to Metro Manila what he did in Marikina, popular approval will propel him to, not the vice presidency (that oh-so inconsequential office), but to the top post that requires residence in the palace.

For the opposition (the FPJ side of it, anyway), it looks like it would be Loren Legarda after all who would be the sarimanok for vice president. Estrada is said to prefer Miriam Santiago or Honasan since Legarda was markedly anti-Estrada during the impeachment trial. The choice of Legarda as vice-president could mean that either FPJ is having a slight tiff with his erstwhile buddy or is simply learning fast in the Philippine art of political accomodation. I wonder though where Loren Legarda gets the stomach to run as vice president of FPJ. It was she after all who cried when Estrada's trial broke up. Whither the tears now?