Official campaigning has begun in the Philippines for the first presidential elections in six years.

菲律宾近六年以来首次总统选举活动已经拉开帷幕。

Analysts² say the election is likely to be close" width="226" height="170" src="/upimg/100209/4_055514_1.jpg" />
Analysts say the election is likely to be close

President Gloria Arroyo³ is not allowed to run again in the vote on 10 May.

Competition is intense between two opposition⁴ figures, with Mrs Arroyo's nominee⁵ and a former president lagging in the polls.

Long proud of its democratic traditions, the Philippines has still failed to find a leader able to deliver peace and prosperity.

For the wealthiest candidates, the political advertising⁶ has been going on for months.

The violence that has been part of every Philippine election started early too - the mass killing⁷ of 57 people in the southern province of Maguindanao in November has set a grim（冷酷的，残忍的） tone.

Election campaigns in the Philippines usually deliver showmanship（表演技巧） , drama, personality clashes and genuine idealism（唯心主义，理想主义） .

What they rarely offer is any cogent⁸（令人信服的） debate of ideas or contest of policies.

This campaign is no exception.

"It's going to be a very tight race," says political analyst¹, writer and journalist Marites Vitug.

"Manny Villar is running a disciplined campaign and has enormous funds at his disposal - he could be our Thaksin, or our Berlusconi," she said, in reference to the wealthy former Thai and current Italian leaders.

The wealthiest candidate, Mr Villar, claims an affinity⁹（吸引力，密切关系） with the poor, the vast voting majority.

He was once a fish market seller and is now the biggest home-builder in the Philippines.

Ruling class

Mr Villar is up against Benigno "NoyNoy" Aquino, son of the revered¹⁰（尊敬，崇敬） former President Cory Aquino. He enjoyed an early surge soon after her death last year, but is now neck-and-neck with Mr Villar.

Lagging behind is Gilberto Teodoro, the current president's favourite, and the former movie star and former president Joseph "Erap" Estrada.

Also in the race is the former Mayor of Olongapo Richard Gordon, someone known as a good manager.

But as always in the Philippines, it will be the money, and the personalities¹¹, that count.

"It will really take a lot of resources, and I'm not referring to money alone," said Ronald Holmes, of the political science department of Manila's De La Salle University and president of the survey group, Pulse Asia.

Spending limits do exist, but an apparent lack of manpower has prevented the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from ever prosecuting¹² anyone for over-spending.

"The primary issues are the old issues of economic growth and the problem of poverty," said Mr Holmes.

Alongside a widespread desire for cheaper commodity prices（商品价格，物价） is the topic of corruption¹³.

There is little indication, however, that any of the current crop of candidates will make any more progress on that than the country's rich ruling class has managed in the past.