Survey KULELAT Mar Roxas had only one goal in the Third Presidential Debate and that was to pin down front-runner Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and deal Digong a MORTAL BLOW. Mayor Duterte, on the other hand, knew that all he had to do was to avoid another POLITICALLY INCORRECT statement (Pope insult, rape joke) and he could coast along for an electoral VICTORY on May 9, 2016. Two hours into the debate, there were NO FIREWORKS. In boxing, the contest turned into a sparring match with few hard blows and no serious injuries caused on any of the participants. BORING. Totally BORING. Then the health issue was discussed with an obviously well prepared Mar Roxas boasting of the Aquino Administration gains in hospital benefits. Duterte was not impressed and said Davao City requested for medical assistance with none received. Roxas became livid and said that he had a computer printout of Davao residents who availed of the PhilHealth program, with the lists including names, diagnoses and servicing hospitals. Mayor Duterte again downplayed the national government’s role in health care. Roxas then challenged Digong, insisting that the Mayor WITHDRAW from the Presidential race if the former Senator and DILG Secretary could produce the documents in the first hour of the next working day. Digong again thumbed down the Mar story of health care achievements. Secretary Roxas then said that it was so typical of Digong to deride issues rather than to confront the facts (as evidenced by the Mar PhilHealth list). In a situation where both sides have diametrically opposed stands, then both speakers could not be correct. Mayor Duterte then turned to the crowd and said if the nation really believed the Mar picture of the national PROGRESS and DEVELOPMENT, then how come Mar Roxas lagged FAR BEHIND in the surveys.

Analysis: The PHP 93 BILLION PhilHealth payouts for 2015 could be true. But for Mar to say that there is no more balance billing or out-of-pocket payments by patients is still far from the majority of hospital admissions. Government hospital pharmacies are also sorely lacking in medical supplies and medicines so the non-availability of those things still force patients or their relatives to buy the same in nearby drugstores at the expense of the patients. So while there may have been improvements in health coverage and payment allocations, the national health insurance implementation is still INADEQUATE at best. Cities such as Davao (where Duterte is mayor) and Makati (where Presidential candidate Jejomar Binay was mayor before he became Vice President) are more able to address the issue of universal health care proving affordable (or no cost), available, acceptable and accessible medical and hospital benefits. If the results of the post-debate surveys are to be believed, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s realistic analysis of the health situation is closer to the truth than the IDEAL presentation that Mar Roxas gave. The people have spoken. All that is needed now is a RESOUNDING DUTERTE VICTORY two weeks from today.

Since Mayor Duterte swept ALL three presidential debates and since he is leading comfortably in ALL political surveys, Mar Roxas may have lost the chance to catch up. Remember that if Mar Roxas inches up a bit (in future surveys) he still has to contend with second running Senator Grace Poe and third placer (in political surveys, not in the debate surveys) Vice President Binay.

FEARLESS FORECAST: Duterte 38% for the WIN, Grace Poe with 27% for SECOND #DuterteForTheWin #StarWars #Duterte2016 #MarRoxas

Fearless Forecast: Duterte 38% Win, Grace 27% at Second

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