Romulo backs Noynoy

Romulo backs Noynoy
September 21, 2009, 6:28pm

President Arroyo expects her Cabinet members, especially those allied with Lakas-Kampi-CMD party, to support the administration’s standard-bearer in the 2010 elections, Malacañang said on Monday.

“Definitely when this administration is going to support officially a candidate, then everybody must toe the line,” Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez said in a news conference in the Palace.

Golez’s statement was issued in the wake of reports that Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo had reportedly endorsed Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III as presidential candidate despite the administration’s selection of Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro as standard-bearer.

Golez, however, said Malacañang would eventually respect the right of Cabinet members who may have their own preferred crop of leaders next year. Many of the President’s Cabinet members belong to various political parties belonging to the administration coalition. (Genalyn Kabiling)

It’s Noynoy-Mar for LP

The Liberal Party (LP) formally announced on Monday an Aquino-Roxas presidential and vice presidential tandem in the 2010 national elections.

The announcement was made after Senator Manuel “Mar” A. Roxas II, LP president, formally accepted the offer of Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III, son of the late President Corazon “Cory” Aquino and the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. to become his running mate in next year’s presidential derby.

Roxas’ acceptance of Aquino’s offer was held yesterday morning at Club Filipino, San Juan, the place where the late President Aquino was sworn into office as President of a revolutionary government after the downfall of the late President Marcos in 1986.

In front of his mother, Judy Araneta-Roxas, Roxas wholeheartedly accepted young Aquino’s offer to become his running mate and thanked him for “this opportunity to work with you as we raise the banner of reform and thank you for the privilege of joining you and all our kababayans in fight for decency and integrity in public service, and for a government that puts the people’s interest first.’’

“But this fight is not just about Noynoy and me. It’s bigger than the two of us. It is bigger than the Liberal Party. It is about our collective thirst for change,’’ Roxas, clad in yellow T-shirt, stressed.

“It is about our thirst for change finally overcoming those who want to continue the tayu-tayo system, the horse-trading, the greed, the self-interest, the transactional politics that has been the biggest roadblock to progress and prosperity for all,’’ he added.

The young Aquino, who came in black T-shirt, told a big crowd at the Kalayaan Hall of Club Filipino that Roxas sacrificed a lot when he withdrew his plans to seek the presidency for the interests of the majority as the Filipino voters are thirsty for a clean government.

He cited the good traits of Roxas, particularly for his advocacy for cheaper medicines and, in the process, taking on the multi-billion-dollar foreign pharmaceutical corporations.

During a brief press briefing after the formal announcement, Aquino said his presidential campaign would focus on his demand for a major overhaul in the country’s educational system where 14 out of every 100 who go to the elementary level finish college.

Only two of the 14 concentrate on science and technology.

He, likewise, pressed his advocacy for a robust agriculture sector to provide the country with food security and in fighting corruption in government.

If the Aquino-Roxas tandem wins, Aquino said he would tap Roxas for the finance post being an economist and well-rounded on taxation.

Asked about the difference between Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, the administration’s presidential bet and his cousin, Noynoy, Roxas said Teodoro would most likely continue with the failed policies of the Arroyo administration but Aquino would have an entirely different tack in solving the country’s problems.

Former Senate President Franklin M. Drilon, LP chairman, said the LP machinery is ready for next year’s election following the adoption of the Aquino-Roxas tandem, particularly after Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan officially withdrew his bid for the vice presidency.

Drilon earlier told a TV interviewer that he sees no violation of election laws as the LP just announced its party bets. The LP was scheduled to hold it convention in mid-October.

He said the LP campaign would be focused on issues, not personalities, as the party’s tack is to press for wide-ranging reforms. (With reports from Madelynne Dominguez and Samuel Raphael P. Medenilla)

Nonoy for President...

Even in death, Corazon "Cory" C. Aquino, former president of the Republic of the Philippines, continues to influence Philippine politics.

Forty days after her funeral, at the end of the traditional mourning period, her son Benigno Aquino III, nicknamed "Noynoy," formally declared his intention to run for the presidency. The declaration was made in Kalayaan Hall in Club Filipino, where, 23 years ago, his mother had delivered her own inaugural address as president.

Noynoy Aquino is a Senator and the son of Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr -"Ninoy"--who was assassinated upon return from exile in 1983, an event that touched off several years of unrest that culminated in the historic People Power revolution and the 1986 ousting of President Ferdinand Marcos.

Ninoy's father (Noynoy's grandfather) was Benigno "Igno" Aquino, also a Senator before World War II before becoming Vice-President of the Japanese-sponsored "second Philippine Republic" toward the end of the war.

Igno's father (Ninoy's grandfather, Noynoy's great-grandfather) was Servillano "Mianong" Aquino, who was a general in the anti-colonial revolution fighting successively at the turn of the 20th century against Spain and the United States and who served in the revolutionary government's Congress.

Mianong's father (Ignos' grandfather, Ninoy's great-grandfather, and Noynoy's great-great-grandfather) was Don Braulio Aquino who belonged to the landed aristocracy and lived 150 years before his great-great-grandson announced a run for the presidency.

Lest we overstate the solidity of family lineages, we can remember that Philippine expert Alfred McCoy entitled his anthology "An Anarchy of Families." Noynoy is the second cousin of another declared candidate for the presidency, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro. Noynoy's mother, Cory Aquino, is a cousin of Teodoro's mother, Mercedes.

The two wings of the Cojuangco clan have been feuding for decades.

Noynoy will run as a candidate of the Liberal Party. Of the Liberal Party members, an early contender was yet another scion of a political clan, Senator Mar Roxas, grandson of President Manuel Roxas.

However, a month after Cory's death, realizing he had only lukewarm ratings in the polls (continuously rating 5th or 6th), Mar Roxas withdrew from the race, giving way to Noynoy's candidacy. His declaration was received warmly by the public as a noble sacrifice, while political pundits opined that the decision was pragmatic and it was time to cut his losses.

Surrounding Noynoy on September 9 at Club Filipino as he declared his candidacy were supporters from the Liberal Party, civil society groups, politicians, and, inevitably, family members - including his voluble youngest sister, mega-media star Kris Aquino.

When asked by a reporter what legacy he would wish to leave after his term, Noynoy responded, "I want to be a president that is missed when I step down." This reply was seen as a criticism of the current president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (herself the daughter of a former president), who many suspect to be reluctant to step down from power.

Noynoy, who has not been accused of corruption, is perceived by many as the antithesis of rhetorically grandstanding politicians, as the alternative to "traditional" politicians.

"Traditional" politics was recently on display when a special non-working holiday was declared for the September 7 internment of the executive minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), Eraño "Ka Erdie" Manalo, who had died at the age of 84.

The INC was established by Manalo's father, Felix Y. Manalo, in 1914 as what he saw as an attempt to go back to the original teachings of Jesus Christ, and has since grown to be the country's second largest religious organization after the Catholic Church.

Ka Erdie had presided over its continuous growth and international expansion since succeeding his father as executive minister in 1963.

The declaration of a special holiday in recognition of the INC's loss is a demonstration of its political power. It is estimated that over 80 percent of its members vote as directed by the INC's leadership, which decides which candidates to support for each election "on a case by case basis."

Not surprisingly, officials of all stripes - from the Aquinos to the Arroyos - arrived to mourn with the hundreds of thousands of INC members who lined up at their leader's wake.
Manalo's son, Eduardo "Ka Eddie Boy" Manolo, is expected to step into the executive minister's position--he has been the INC's deputy executive minister.

Similarly, Noynoy owes the plausibility of his presidential candidacy to the recent attention on his family's legacy. Two months ago, before his mother's death, Noynoy was not among the long list of politicians being mentioned as "presidentiables."

But Noynoy's mother's death resulted in an outpouring of emotion. Thousands of Cory supporters and non-supporters braved fierce rains to pay their respects, invoking scenes reminiscent of 1986's "People Power" and changing the political landscape leading up to the 2010 presidential campaign.

Although there are proven instances when dynasties are not the recipe for success in the Philippines, Noynoy certainly has shaken up the Philippine presidential race. A snap poll on the island of Luzon (where 40 percent of Philippine voters live) puts him far in the lead of the previous front-runners.

Whether this popularity is a flash in the pan (the Filipino expression is "ningas cogon" - grass fire), and whether the low-key Noynoy has the stomach for a bruising presidential race, is the sort of thing that the long campaign period until May 2010 will reveal.

Senator Benigno 'Noynoy' Aquino III is seeking to revive the People Power spirit

MANILA - With nine months to go before the May 2010 polls, Senator Benigno 'Noynoy' Aquino III is seeking to revive the People Power spirit that propelled his late mother to the presidency in 1986.

With no categorical statement yet on whether he would take up the challenge of carrying the banner of the Liberal Party (LP) in next year’s presidential elections, Aquino indicated on Wednesday that he wants to see whether the people would be behind him in his quest.

In his speech at Club Filipino in San Juan, a day after LP's presidential aspirant Senator Manuel 'Mar' Roxas II announced he was dropping out of the race, Aquino rallied the people to put up a stand.

“Panahon din maghanda para sa isang mas mahaba at matinding laban kung saan walang bibitiw hanggang makamit natin ang pagbabagong hinahangad,” Aquino said.

He made his announcement at the historic Gabaldon Room, where his mother, the late former President Corazon Aquino, took her oath of office in 1986 after a people power revolt.

Personal sacrifice

Aquino paid tribute to Roxas describing the latter’s decision as the “finest example of selflessness that our nation sorely needs in these morally troubled times.”

Roxas had been charting his career the past two years toward the presidency.

Aquino thanked Roxas for his "sacrifice" in withdrawing from the 2010 race in favor of party unity and national interest.

"Umaapaw po ang paghanga at paggalang ko kay Mar sa kanyang pagsasaaalangalang ng kanyang personal na ambisyon para sa pagkakaisa ng aming partido at para sa higit na mataas na mithiin na kapwa namin inaasahan para sa aming taumbayan," Aquino said.

He also echoed Roxas' call for personal sacrifice.

"Tulad po ng kanyang sinabi kagabi, kalimutan po natin ang ating mga sarili dahil ang laganap na pagtingin sa pansariling kapakanan ang mismong ugat ng kasakiman at pagkawatak-watak na sumisira sa ating lipunan," he said.

Aquino said he and Roxas will be one in their fight.

"Kasama po ako ni Mar sa malaking laban na ito. At sana, kasama rin naman ang bawat Pilipinong naniniwala sa aking kalinisan ng loob, at ng karamihan ng ating mga kababayan na naghahangad ng isang bansang tunay nating maipagmamalaki," he said.

He also said that the pressing issue was not about who should be the candidate.

"Ang usapin pong ito ay di tungkol sa akin o kay Mar. Ang mahalaga pong malaman ay kung kasama namin kayo sa misyon ng tunay na pagbabago. Hindi po madali ang misyong ito dahil matindi ang kabulukukang bumabalot sa ating lipunan. Nguni't hindi imposibleng makamit ang ating mga pinakamimithi para sa Pilipinas. Ito ay magsisimula sa bawat isa sa atin," he said.

Spiritual retreat

Aquino said he would undergo a spiritual retreat to “pray for discernment and divine guidance” before taking the plunge.

"This weekend, starting tomorrow actually, I will be going on a spiritual retreat as I pray for discernment and divine guidance," Aquino said in a prepared speech.

"I urge you to pray with me so that you too can assess your own readiness to take part in the difficult struggle ahead. We are hopefully in this together," he said.

"Hindi ko po tatalikuran ang hamong ito, sana'y kasama ko kayo sa labang ito," Aquino said.

"Sa mga nalalabing araw ng aming pagluluksa at pagdadalamhati sa pagpanaw ng aming mahal na ina, sisikapin ko pong taospusong sagutin ang katanungang ito. Sana maunawaan po ninyo ang bagay na ito," Aquino said.

A member of Aquino's staff said the spiritual retreat was sought by the Aquino brood before he makes his final decision.

Aquino has said that he will be considering the sentiments of his sisters on whether he should run for the presidency.

People power alive?

LP stalwart Florencio Abad said Aquino’s call for people to awaken their sense of volunteerism “will put to test whether the people power spirit is still alive.”

People power ousted the dictatorship of President Ferdinand Marcos in 1986. It was revived in 2001, which led to the downfall of President Estrada following allegations of large-scale corruption.

The people power phenomenon was believed to have been re-awakened following the death of Mrs. Aquino last August 1. Hundreds of thousands took part in her funeral procession on August 5.

Abad said the reawakening of the people power movement is creating the surge in interest for Noynoy to seek the presidency.

Lack of funds

When he first ran for national office in 2007, Aquino self-deprecatingly admitted that not many people knew him. In his provincial sorties, there was none of the excitement normally generated by popular candidates.

Still, Aquino placed sixth in the 2007 senatorial race, garnering more than 14 million votes.

Realizing that the goodwill of the Aquino family will not be enough to win this time around, he is now calling on people power to help him decide.

Aquino observed that some of the presidential wannabes already have a jump start in their presidential campaign, and the fast approaching synchronized national and local elections on May 10, 2010 poses huge problem.

Aquino said it would be “too late” for him to run a traditional election campaign.

However, he said that “if people will run the campaign,” he will have “more chances" in the elections.

On the question of financial resources, Aquino said a people-driven campaign can offset any financial limitation. “How can you put a price to volunteerism?” he asked.

During the 2007 senatorial race, Aquino ran on a limited budget. While other candidates flooded the airwaves and the campaign trail with self-promotional ads, Aquino’s camp was scrimping on election paraphernalia. -

It’s Noynoy-Mar for 2010

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) The tandem of Senators Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Manuel “Mar Roxas II for the 2010 presidential race is a done deal.

The two men will make the formal announcement at a press conference Monday, former Representatives Florencio “Butch” Abad and Nereus Acosta, both stalwarts of the Liberal Party (LP), said yesterday.

Abad and Acosta accompanied Aquino to the SMX convention center in Pasay City, where he spoke before an estimated 10,000 educators attending the Bato Balani Foundation’s “Tribute to Teachers.” The annual event is the largest gathering of educators in the country.

Aquino, who announced on September 9 that he was heeding the clamor to run for the presidency, himself confirmed that Roxas had accepted his invitation to be his running mate in the 2010 polls.

Asked if it was a done deal, Aquino said: “Yes. [The announcement will be made on] Monday morning.”

Abad, the LP national campaign manager for 2010, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in an ambush interview that an advisory would be issued Sunday on the press conference to be held at Club Filipino in San Juan.

“That’s it. That’s the tandem,” Abad said.

Club Filipino is where Aquino’s mother, the late Corazon Aquino, was sworn in as President at the culmination of the February 1986 People Power revolt that ousted the strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

Historic day

In an interview with dwIZ later in the day, Roxas, the LP president, said his supporters should wait for a major announcement tomorrow.

He said September 21 was a “historic day” – the Eid’l Fitr holiday, which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and the 37th anniversary of the imposition of martial law.

“It’s a thanksgiving [day] and the anniversary of the period ushering the dark days of martial law in our country. So this day is a historic day, a very good day,” Roxas said.

Referring to the electoral battle in May 2010, he said: “This fight is bigger than the Liberal Party … so everyone should take part. This is a battle involving the whole nation.”

Roxas, a scion of the Araneta-Roxas clan who pulled out of the presidential race in favor of Aquino on September 1, said there were many “who continuously desire to perpetuate the present rotten [system] because they are benefiting from it.”

“But we want change,” he declared.

Asked if he would also bankroll Aquino’s candidacy, Roxas said without elaborating: “I have all-out support for Noynoy.”

Restoring trust

Abad, the education secretary during Corazon Aquino’s presidency, said that apart from the overarching goal of achieving structural and ideological change in both government and society, the Aquino-Roxas tandem would bring back public trust in the national leadership.

“[Restoring trust] will be the focus because it all starts with a government that you can trust,” he said.

Abad said that for the past eight years, the Filipino people had lost faith in their political leaders.

“I think this has to be restored,” he said. “We can discuss so many great platforms, but if the national leadership is not trusted by the people, you can only do so much.”

Asked if the LP had the logistics to run a nationwide campaign, Abad said a “people’s campaign” was the answer.

“What is amazing in this campaign is that the people claim it as their campaign, so that ... [it] is really a citizens’ initiative, a citizens’ action,” he said. “A lot of the traditional logistical requirements ... will be more than made up for by the volunteerism that is unprecedentedly being shown in this campaign.”

People’s campaign

Abad said the LP had no estimate on the funds needed to run an Aquino-Roxas ticket complete with a senatorial slate.

“It’s hard to say. For example, the funds are usually devoted to vote protection,” he said, adding that some 200,000 polling precincts nationwide were to be staffed by three poll watchers each.

“But with a very strong public interest in their candidacies, a lot of [the funds required] can be [offset] by volunteer work. If the campaign retains its character as the people’s campaign, you can make a lot of savings,” he said.

Abad said he believed this was enough to surmount the well-oiled machinery of the administration coalition or the purported billion-peso campaign fund of Senator Manuel Villar Jr., another presidential aspirant.

“If we wage this fight in the arena of machine or money politics, we will not win,” Abad said. “But if we wage it as a response to the hunger for decency, integrity, transparency and accountability in public service and governance, I think we have no opponent in that arena.”

Just a month after his mother’s death on August 1, Aquino topped the Social Weather Stations survey on presidential preference in the vote-rich National Capital Region, Central Luzon and Calabarzon, and Pangasinan province.

The area comprises 40 percent of the nationwide vote, Abad said.

Acosta said this was due to “the hunger the people realized after Noynoy’s mother died.”

Noynoy-Estrada talks

On Friday in Baguio City, Roxas said the planned talks between Aquino and deposed President Joseph Estrada would explore the unification of the opposition but would exclude “trapos” (traditional politicians).

He said the 2010 elections “will no longer be a fight between the administration and the opposition” – and, therefore, trapos will play no major role in a coalition that proposes to offer real institutional reforms.”

Roxas was in the summer capital to address the joint annual convention of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Association of Certified Public Accountants in Commerce and Industry at the Baguio Country Club.

He said the planned talks would be “party-to-party” but would be led by the standard-bearers of the LP and the United Opposition.

“As party president, I will support what Noynoy decides,” Roxas said.

But he refused to talk about Aquino’s offer for him to be the latter’s running mate, saying the announcement would be made “after several nights’ sleep.”

‘Tingi’ approach

In his talk before the convention participants, Roxas shed more light on the possible Noynoy-Mar campaign platform.

He said he and Aquino had been frustrated by President Macapagal-Arroyo’s “tingi” (fragmented) approach to development.

“Some governments will do one thing [measuring] 10 inches [of a development program]. Some governments will do 10 different things [each measuring] 10 inches. Gloria will do 20 different things [measuring only half an inch]. She does it for political gains, you see,” he said, adding:

“Noynoy and I agreed: Let’s do just three things that [each measures] 30 inches … Today, what we have are concrete roads built far from irrigation dams and trading areas, so the rice we produce gets wet first [before it is traded].”

Lowest economic growth

Roxas said that from the second richest Asian country, the Philippines had recorded the lowest economic growth among the six original members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

“Three generations after [World War II], and a generation after the 1986 People Power revolt, where we were supposed to have taken part in a theoretical reboot, here we are, mired, stuck, falling behind our neighbors,” he said.

He said accountants knew that the people must “accept the rot” to make changes, and this included acknowledging that the country was spending P70 billion annually to import 2 million tons of rice when the allocation could best serve building better farms.

He added that the economy was in trouble because only 18 of the 88 children enrolled in first grade completed college.

Ang Laban ni Ninoy noon, Laban din natin ngayon

Sa paggunita ng pagkakapaslang ng dating Senator Ninoy Aquino sa 21 Agosto, maglulunsad ng isang “cultural show” ang civil society. Ang nasabing concert, na lalakuhan ng mahigit 50 bandang Pinoy, ay isang aktibidad na dapat lamang lahukan ng lahat, sapagkat ito’y isang paraan upang maipakita natin ang ating pagka disgusto sa kasalukuyang kalagayan ng ating Inang Bayan.

Tunay nga, na ilang taon na rin ang nakalipas, (mahigit 25 na nga ba?) nang paslangin ng mga ahente ng rehimeng Marcos ang nagbabalik sanang senator Aquino. Matapos na mabasa ng kanyang dugo ang tarmac ng airport, tatlong taon ang lumipas bago tuluyang nagapi ng Sambayanang Pilipino ang diktador na si Macoy. Nanatili ang ningas ng sakripisyo ni Ninoy hanggang sa administrasyon ng kanyang asawa, ngunit, unti-unti itong nawawala sa paglipas ng panahon.

Mayroon pa bang kahulugan sa buhay ng Pinoy ang sakripisyo ni Ninoy? Naaalala pa kaya ng karamihan sa atin kung ano-ano ang mga tunay na kadahilanan bakit pinilit niyang bumalik sa Inang Bayan? Malinaw pa ba ang mga eksenang bumulaga sa atin sa kanyang pagbulagta noon sa tarmac?

Tulad ng nakagawian na, gugunitain ng mga television networks ang mga huling eksenang nilahukan ni Ninoy. Ipakikita duon ang mga kuha sa kanya ng isang batikang cameraman nang siya’y kunin ng mga AVSECOM na mag-ka-cut dun naman sa kuhang nakabulagta na siya’t walang buhay sa tarmac. Kung makapagsasalita lamang si Ninoy mula sa langit, ito kaya ang nais niyang paggunita sa kanya?

Mas nanaisin siguro ni Ninoy na ipakita ang naging bunga ng kanyang sakripisyo. Mas maganda siguro kung balikan natin ang mga eksenang kung saan halos isang milyong Pinoy ang nagpunta sa EDSA pagkatapos ng tatlong taon, para kilalanin ang kanyang sakripisyo.

Maganda sigurong ipakita na umusbong ang Bagong Pinoy mula sa dugong ibinuwis ni Ninoy at iba pang mga bayaning Bayan maitaguyod lamang ang demokrasya sa ating bayan.

Sa 21 Agosto, gugunitain sa isang concert ng mga banda ang pagkamatay ni Ninoy. Siguro, liban sa pagsasayang kultural, huwag sanang kalimutan ng mga organizers ang pagpapaliwanag sa kahalagahan ng sakripisyo ni Ninoy.

Namulat tayo dahil kay Ninoy at sa mga bayani ng bayan na ibinuwis ang kanilang buhay alang-alang sa kalayaan.

Nagising tayo dahil kay Ninoy at sa mga bayani ng bayan na nakibaka sa larangang giyera alang-alang sa kapayapaan.

Nag-alsa tayo dahil kay Ninoy at sa mga bayani ng bayan na isinakripisyo ang kanilang kinabukasan upang manumbalik ang katarungan.

Ngayong nagsusumidhi ang kabulukan, ang korupsyon, ang kawalang hiyaan ng ating mga tinatawag na lider ng bayan,

Ngayong binubusabos tayo ng mga mandaraya dahilan sa ating kawalang ganang kumilos.

Ngayong ninanakawan tayo ng harap-harapan ng mga nagpapakilalang lider ng bayan,

Ngayong tila pinapatay tayo dahil sa mga polisiyang maka-sarili ng mga galamay ni Gloria,
kailangan pa ba natin ng isang Ninoy para tao mamulat?

Kailangan pa ba ng ilang giyerang pamumunuan ng mga bayani ng bayan para makamit ang kapayapaan?

Kailangan pa ba ng isang Ninoy upang maharap natin ang maladambuhalang kampon ng demonyo sa pangunguna ng isang demonyitang sanggol para sa panunumbalik ng katarungan?

Hindi na. Sa kamulatan natin sa mga kaganapan, sa ating nadadanasang hirap bunsod ng katiwalian, kabastusan, at kawalang kahiyaan nina Gloria, kanyang pamilya sampu ng kanilang mga galamay, hindi natin kailangan ang isang Ninoy.

Kailangan natin ng isang milyong Ninoy na tatayo, magbubuwis ng kinabukasan at susuong sa bukid ng pakikibaka hindi alang-alang sa kanilang sarili, kundi alang-alang sa kanilang mga anak, mga apo at mga magulang.

Ang naging laban ni Ninoy noon, laban mo rin ngayon.

Laban ni Noynoy

Laban ni Noynoy, laban ng bawat Pilipino

Alam ng lahat ng Pilipino basta't nag-umpisa ang balitaktakan ay nag-uumpisa na ang pagpaplano ng dayaan. Experto dito si Arroyo. Dagdag bawas at ngayon ay ang bagong makinarya ng eleksyon. Unang pagpapakilala sa Poll Automation sa Bansa, at alam nating maraming di alam kung patutunguhan nito. Hindi natin alam kung mayroonng nakahandang pandaraya na ang administrasyon. Kung paano nila nabaliktad ang halalan noong 2004, mas nakatitiyak tayong higit ang magagawa nila sa ngayon. Si Fernando Poe Jr. ay walang nagawa kundi tanggapin ang pagkatalo na naging dahilan ng kanyang maagang pagpanaw.
Ito ang laban natin ngayon. Bagamat hindi Arroyo ang kalaban sa Election ito, dala-dala niya ang kanyang pangako sa apirante ng administrasyon na papanaluhin ang kanilang kandidato sa anumang paraan. Sanay na ang mga taong ito sa masamang salitang sinsabi sa kanila. Sanay na ang mga taong ito na idimanda o anong kaso pa ang harapin. Lagi silang panalo. May kwata at kaya nilang paikutin ang lahat ng tao, dahil sa utang na loob sa kanya. Sa sampung taong panunungkulan niya, maraming natulungang maimpluwensiya sa Bansa. Lalo pang naging maimpluwensiya dahil sa mga pabuya at pagsuporta sa anumang anggulo ng pandaraya, makita lamang maganda ang pangalan ng unang pamilya.
At ito ang laban ni Noynoy, na dapat maging laban din nating mga Pilipino. Bantayan natin ang ating boto. Huwag tayong pumayag na palitan ito ng pera na galing sa kaban ng bayan. Walang pera si Noynoy, pero may dangal siyang ipinaglalaban. Ito ang prisipyo ng bawat Pilipino. Ito ay ang makita tayong malaya, hindi lamang sa kamay ng mga kaaway, kundi higit sa lahat ay sa kamay ng makasariling naglilingkod sa bayan, maruming pulitika. Namatay si Ninoy sa atin, para makita natin ang kasamaan ng pulika sa Pilipinas. Nabuhay si Noynoy at tinaggap ang alok na ipagpatuloy ang labang ito, hindi para sa kanya, hindi para sa kanyang pamlya, kundi para sa Bayan. Para sa ikauunlad ng Bansa. Para maibalik muli ang ating pag-asa na may bukas pang naghihintay para sa Pilipinas. May pag-asa pa tayong makabangon sa kahirapan.
At ang lahat ng ito ay di madaling gawin, hindi hanggang salita lamang. Kailangan natin ang kapit bisig na pagsasakripisyong itaas ang Batang Pinoy sa katauhan ni Noynoy. Sumama tayo at saksihan ang laban niyang ito. Laban ni Noynoy, laban ng bawat Pilipino.

Noynoy Aquino for President

Hindi ako taga-Liberal Party o may anumang partidong sinasapian. Hindi ako taga-hanga ni Kris, dahil wala akong hilig sa comedy. Hindi ko rin hilig ang pulitika dahil sabi sa aking ng tatay ko ay marumi raw ito. Subalit naaawa na ako sa Bansang Pilipinas. Marami ang nababasa ko na huwag nating isisi lagi sa gobyerno ang nangyayari sa Pilipinas kaya walang asenso, dapat daw na baguhin ng bawat Pilipno ang kanilang ugali na magkaroon ng disiplina para umunlad ang bayan. Napakagandang katuwiran. May puntos ika nga.
Subalit papaano magkakaroon ng disiplina ang mga anak, kung hindi makikita ito sa mga magulang. Paano magkakaroon ng disiplina ang bawat Pilipino kung yaong mga namumuno sa bayan ay walang disiplina. Hindi pinalaki ng maganda ng magulang o baka talagang ganid ang pagkatao nito. Sabi ng aking Pastor, hindi raw pwedeng mag-akay ang bulag ng kapwa bulag. Nabulag na ang nasa administrasyon ng kanilang kapangyarihan. Hindi na nila alam ang mangyayari sa susunod... Ang nais nila ay maipagpatuloy ang kapangyarihang ito kahit na masagasaan ang maraming mahihirap. Nais nilang magpakayaman lalo upang matugunan ang pansarili nilang pangangailangan, upang lalo lumawak ang kanilang kapangyarihan at mahawakan ang buhay ng ordinaryong mamamayan.
Iisa ito sa laban ni Ninoy ng kapanahunan ng diktatoya ni Marcos. Magkaiba lamang ang situasyon. Noon tayo ay under Martial Law, walang pwedeng magsalita ng laban sa Administrasyon, pwede kang makulong, salvage ang aabutin mo kapag minamalas pa.
Ngayon di ba ganoon din. Ilan na ang namatay na mamamahayag. Ilan na ang mga namatay dahil nakikiisa sila na mabago at ipaglaban ang kapayapaan ng Pilipinas tungo sa kaunlaran. Isa rito ay si Fernando Poe Jr. na dinaya, upang hindi magkaroon nag pagkaktaon na maipadama niya ang pagmamahal niya sa bayan.
Ngayon ay narito muli ang laban. Nandito muli ang labang pinasimulan ni Ninoy at Cory sa katauhan ng nagiisang anak na lalaking si Noynoy. Hindi ko siya kilala. Hindi ko alam ang tunay niyang pagkatao. Wala akong alam mula sa kanyang pagkabata. Subalit mahalaga sa kanya ang kaniyang pinagmulan. Katulad ni Jesus sa kapanahunan noon. Mahalaga ang kaniyang pinanggalingan. Importante kung kanininong dugo siya nagmula. Kaya nga libro ni Mateo sa Biblia inisa-isa ni Mateo ang genealogy ni Jesus, upang makita ng mambabasa na galing ito sa mapagpalang angkan.
Kaya nga ako bilang isang batang Pilipino nakikiisa kay Ninoy, Cory at ngayon ay kay Noynoy. Para sa ikauunlad ng Bayan, para sa tunay at ganap na pagbabago. Ituloy ang laban ni Ninoy at Cory. Noynoy Aquino for President.

‘May araw din tayo’

By Conrado de Quiros, Theres The Rub, Philippine Daily Inquirer

Sabi mo, Gary Olivar, magpakalalaki si Noynoy, huwag na nyang punahin ang boss mo. Sabi mo rin, politically mature na tayo, di na dapat ginagamit sa pulitika ang mga salitang “Good vs. Evil” or “Kabutihan laban sa Kasamaan.”

Payong kapatid, p’re, easy ka lang sa salitang “mature.” Di ka gaanong kapanipaniwala pag nagpapasya ka kung ano ang mature at ano ang hindi. Hindi na ko magpapayo na easy ka rin lang sa paghamon sa ibang tao na magpakalalaki, bahala ka lang magnilay-nilay tungkol dyan sa harap ng salamin.

Meron pa bang mas immature kesa sa sagot mo kay Noynoy? Obvious naman na ang pinanggalingan nyan ay ang kulturang macho na nagsasabing ’wag kang papatol, o makikipagaway, sa babae kung tunay kang lalaki. Kung ganun lang ang deskarte n’yo, uminom na lang kayo ng gin hanggang sa machoka. ’Yang machong kulturang ’yan ay matagal nang ibinasura ng taongbayan sa tulong ng women’s groups dahil sa mababang pagtingin sa kababaihan. Kunyari nagtatanggol sa mga babae, sa totoo ay sinisiraan ang mga babae.

Kayo lang naman ang nakakakita ng babae o lalaki sa usaping ito. Lahat naman ng Noypi ay nakikita lang ang tama o mali sa usaping ito. Pero pinag-uusapan din lang natin ang babae at lalaki, masisisi mo ba si Noynoy kung sabihin nyang nakalimutan yata ng dating titser nya ang mga itinuro sa kanya? Dahil meron din syang naging titser na babae, di hamak na mas magaling, at ni minsan ay hindi nakalimutan ang mga itinuro. ’Yan ay si Cory.

At pinaguusapan din lang natin ang lalaki at babae, sino naman ang me sabi sa yo na ang boss mo ay babae? Dahil galit na galit na sinasabi sa ’kin ng mga kaibigan kong babae, “Hindi namin kaano-ano ’yan.”

Tingnan natin kung di sapul ng “Good vs. Evil” ang labanang ito:

Huwag na tayong magpa-cute pa at diretsuhin na lang: Ang boss mo ay sinungaling. Sino ba ang mahilig magpanggap na madasalin, laging nagpaparetrato habang nakaluhod at mataimtim na nananalangin kay—bahala ka nang magsabi kung Kanino. Sino nga ba ang mas sincere sa kanilang dalawa ng aso na ganyan din ang posing? Sino ba ang lumamon ng kung anu-ano sa New York at nagsabing: (1) Di nangyari yon, (2) Nangyari yon pero di ganun ang bill, (3) Ganun ang bill pero si Martin Romualdez naman ang nagbayad, (4) Ayos lang yon dahil marami namang nagpakasasa?

Sino ba ang nagsabing hindi sya tatakbo sa 2004?

Sa kabilang banda, eto si Noynoy na pinalaking maayos ng mga magulang. Nagsabing magdadasal, tapos magdedesisyon. Nagdasal, tapos nagdesisyon. Kung ano’ng sinabi, yon ang ginawa. Paminsan-minsan siguro nangangako sa GF na darating nang maaga pero nale-late. Pero pwede na nating palampasin yon.

Ano’ng tawag mo dyan? Di ba Tama laban sa Mali? Di ba Makatotoo laban sa Peke? Di ba Good vs. Evil?

Ang boss mo ay mandaraya. Sino ba ang paulit-ulit na tumawag kay Garci noong bilangan para makalamang ng 1 million boto kay FPJ, at nakalamang nga ng 1 milyon boto kay FPJ? Sino ba ang gumawa ng batas na nagsasabing walang maaaring magsabi na nandaya sya nang wala niyang pahintulot? Sino ba ang nagtago sa “executive privilege” para hindi managot sa bayan kung sya nga ang mastermind ng NBN?

Sino ba ang me mga anak na di makapagpaliwanag ng mga ari-arian sa San Francisco?

Sa kabilang banda, eto si Noynoy na walang record na nandaya sa Kongreso at Senado. Na may nanay na paulit-ulit na pinangaralan silang magkakapatid sa pagiging matapat. Na nagbigay ng halimbawa sa pag-ingat sa mga kagamitan sa Malakanyang dahil “’yan ay pag-aari ng taongbayan.” Paminsan-minsan siguro, nandadaya rin si Noynoy sa dieta at nage-extra rice. Pero pwede na rin nating palampasin yon.

Ano’ng tawag mo dyan? Di ba Tama laban sa Mali? Di ba Katinuan laban sa Kabuktutan? Di ba Good vs. Evil?

Ang boss mo ay mandarambong. Sino ba ang naturingan ng World Bank na pinaka corrupt na leader sa buong Asya? Sino ba ang nangutang ng higit pa kay Fidel Ramos at Erap combined, pero walang mapakain sa taongbayan, ang ramdam na ramdam lang ni Juan ay gutom? Sino ba ang pabyahe-byahe at tumatrato sa buwis ni Juan bilang pocket money? Sino ang nagkorap sa lahat ng institusyon ng demokrasya, ang Kongreso, ang Korte, ang Comelec, ang Simbahan, ang Sundalo? Sino ang gumawa ng tama sa mali at mali sa tama?

Sa kabilang banda, meron ka bang narinig na nagnakaw si Cory, nagnakaw si Noynoy, nagnakaw ang mga kapatid ni Noynoy? Paminsan-minsan si Kris ay nagnanakaw ng eksena, pero pwede na rin nating palampasin yon. Paminsan-minsan din, si Noynoy ay nagnanakaw ng halik, pero pwedeng-pwede nating palampasin yon.

Ano’ng tawag mo dyan? Di ba Tama laban sa Mali? Di ba Kagandahang Asal laban sa Asal-aso? Di ba Good vs. Evil?

May araw din kayo.

At may araw din kami.

Pinangako ko sa sarili ko na kapag tumugon si Noynoy Aquino sa hamon ng panahon, susulatin ko ang kolum na ito. Tagalog pa rin dahil me mga bagay na masasabi mo lang na swak na swak sa lingwaheng malapit sa puso o bituka mo.

May araw din ang taongbayan.

’Yan ang naisip ko sa Club Filipino noong nakaraang Miyerkoles. Naghalong “Tapos na ang maliligayang araw n’yo,” at “Sa gitna ng kadiliman ay meron ding bukang-liwayway.” Mangiyak-ngiyak ang mga kaibigan ko habang pinakikinggan si Noynoy maghayag na tatakbo siya bilang pangulo ng bansa. Naisip ko: Ganyan nga siguro ang pakiramdam ng mga bilanggong malapit nang palayain. Hindi ko sila masisisi. Ganyan din ang naramdaman ko.

Pagkatapos ng matinding paghihirap, makakaginhawa din. Pagkatapos ng matagal na pagkabilanggo, makalalaya din. Pagkatapos ng walang humpay na kabiguan, magtatagumpay din.

May araw din tayo.

Leading all the way (More than euphoria)

By Atty. Romeo V. Pefianco, Manila Bulletin (www.mb.com.ph)

The few advantages of Senator Noynoy’s campaign are too glaring to be ignored: 1) very low profile but highly effective nonetheless 2) totally obvious media bias in his favor 3) nearly zero budget for political ads and corny postures 4) influential and mainstream armies of volunteers trekking to his bandwagon and 5) patriotic and religious chants/ditties where people gather, to touch his skin and shirt, that also move the heart.

Deliberate choice

According to PR practitioners and veteran analysts the above show of support is not mere euphoria. It is both emotional and deliberate, signs of honest, lasting and sincere attachment to the man and for his cause.

Critics of Noynoy may do well, exceedingly well, if they stop calling him not qualified, not an impressive speaker, lacks charisma and expensive propaganda.

All men at Palace

Lately, Palace advisers told Noynoy: “Be a man!” Critics at coffee shops commented: At the Palace boys are like girls and girls are more than men, period.

The ‘mechanic’

Thousands of critics of Ramon Magsaysay referred to him as a passenger bus mechanic (at Try-Tran Co. where he eventually became manager); that he viewed the law of supply and demand as a piece of legislation that needed immediate repeal. But pollsters had the last laugh: Magsaysay was way ahead of Quirino by 60 percent to less than 40 percent for the president some three months before the November 10, 1953 elections.

Leading all the way

On election day Magsaysay had beaten the surveys: He won in all provinces, except Ilocos Sur, getting an unheard of 69 percent of the votes.

View(Magsaysay had studied at UP in 1927 and later graduated with an BS in Commerce from Jose Rizal College, now a university.)

Most people, the masses especially, don’t change candidates if they see one to their liking. They don’t like the smart-alecky pros with a long list of promises, or a repeat of their opponents’ pledges in all fields of endeavor. They don’t like veteran pols who mimick orators with long, repetitious speeches that nail nothing after the oratory.

Show of sincerity

They speak well of honest, sincere and smiling candidates. Years ago Clark Gable was an aggressive seller, promoter who used dubious methods in praise of things to come in The Huckster.

Then he met a truly sincere, lovely and sad girl who asked him to stop making lots of money by lying to people as buyers/customers. One day Gable stopped by a haberdashery and asked for a new tie. He was given ties costing 50, 25 or 10 dollars.

Gable’s choice: “I want a tie that looks sincere.” It took the store manager to find it. With his tie that looked sincere Clark Gable quit his job, threw his wallet into a river and started a new life by marrying Deborah Kerr.

Use of tax money

Most politicians and candidates often seen on TV are candidates of self-praise who probably use tax money to promote/sell themselves, their office and influence or take advantage of strategic highway curves to show billboards with their huge picture to advertise their so-called achievements funded with tax money.

In the last 40 years RP politics has become more sophisticated, thoroughly corrupt and shamelessly costly. No candidate for senator or congressman since 1987 could expect a small welcoming crowd without sending an advance party who would distribute cash and favors to local lowers, mostly local officials and their families.

Counting in public In April 1987 one candidate for senator had given P20,000 each to local candidates in two or three Western Visayas provinces. But one segurista local counted in public what was inside the envelope he received and shouted “exacto P20,000.” Voters could not stand his kind of shamelessness and turned against him.

Bidding

It is known to us all that incredible poverty (about 70 to 80 percent) in the countryside, especially in coastal barrios, voters are on the list of opposing candidates who have mastered the art of bidding for votes. The price may vary from P500 to P2,000 if the contest for mayor appears too close to call, so to speak.

The early birds who cast their votes between 8 a.m. and 12:30 noon live mostly in the poblacion, especially the merchant class, referred to as intelligent voters.

The young and educated voters don’t ask for favors and don’t give a hoot to politicians’ bola in the campaign. This is the most reliable class who can announce their choice fully and openly weeks or months before election day.

Hope

They can influence the final result of the election by their number alone and by showing that only leaders of known sincerity and honesty can change and lead us to relative progress and prosperity, not to “just manageable”

GDP the poor masses cannot eat.

The campaigners of Noynoy can offer hope, long lost to 92.2M Filipinos since the 1970s.

Even hope can make people realize that politicians can win or lose by failing to offer it on time.

A Love Letter to Noynoy

By Maria Reylan M. Garcia, Young Voice, The News Today Online Edition

It was better than Shakespeare. It was shorter than any novel, but the three pages told a life story of love. It was the shortest epic of love, the love of a father to his son and the love of a man to his country. It was typewritten and a few parts had some erasures. The piece of literature was a letter from a bespectacled man who never lost hope in his fellowmen. In his letter, he told his 15-year-old son, “There is no greater nation on earth than our motherland. No greater people than our own. Serve them with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your strength.” That man entrusted his country to his son. In a few years time, that man was killed in the soil of the country he loved, was declared a hero and his face became the insignia of Philippine democracy.

It was Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr.’s letter to his son, Benigno “Noynoy”Aquino III. Every time I would withdraw from the ATM, before I place the bills inside my wallet I am always reminded that a man called Ninoy said, that a pimply eighteen year old girl who just received her whole month’s allowance along with others of her race was worth dying for.

I only knew Ninoy from the documentary films and history textbooks. I only saw his charismatic speeches from video streaming websites. But long since I knew of his contribution, I had considered him as one of my personal heroes. I downloaded a scan of Ninoy’s letter to the adolescent Noynoy that sounded more like a last will and testament. Ninoy wrote this letter after he had decided to forego his participation in the proceedings of the Military Commission who will try him for his charges of illegal possession of firearms and murder.

I do not know how Noynoy felt while reading his father’s letter; if it was me I could have cried a bucketful.

Last September 9, 2009, in the very same site where his president mother, the late Corazon Aquino was inaugurated, Noynoy announced his bid for candidacy in the 2010 presidential elections. Noynoy, now 49, is more than determined to continue unraveling his dad’s dreams for the country. Within seconds of Noynoy’s announcement, millions of opinions echoed the commentaries of every medium. Some say Noynoy will be the resurrection of his parents’ tandem that Noynoy will continue the Laban. Some would disagree and throw out to rubbish the like-father-like-son or the like-mother-like-son ideology. Some believe that Noynoy is just made to look eligible by his parents’ influence more so his mother’s recent death or even his younger sister’s natural charisma and not of his own accord.

I am not a political analyst. I do not have much knowledge on what can influence the rise and fall of survey polls. But I am a registered voter and eventually I will have to pick my choice, I will have to elect my president. I am still not sure whether or not I will actually vote for Noynoy but quite frankly I have a jar of hope allotted for him. Considering his familial background, his moral stand and his capacity to make a strong presidentiable back-out and concentrate on wedding plans, Noynoy may have a chance, well a huge chance to get my vote at least.

What I am looking for in a president is beyond the academic education and bulk of wealth. We had plenty of those and each one had transformed into power-hungry monsters who had simply rubbished their idealistic promises. What I am looking for in a president is beyond the experience and seniority. We had plenty of those some even took every step of government hierarchy but eventually ran the country like an impulsive amateur. What I am looking for in a president is simply a good moral foundation and the capacity to unite a country. We are divided geographically and the last thing we need is a societal faction. There are many presidentiables who continue to make themselves smell like roses in springtime through their numerous charity works. But, these are actually to mask their previous scandals and mischievousness. As of now, in my opinion, Noynoy bears the cry of an almost united Philippines. Noynoy is the conscious reality of a Filipino’s dream of change. Noynoy is the Filipino’s hope of the revival of the 80’s advocacy. I just hope he will be able to maintain that.

The last line of Ninoy’s letter to Noynoy was, “Son, the ball is now in your hands.” I will not compare Noynoy to Ninoy although at times I get their names mixed up. They are different individuals. The ball is now in Noynoy’s hands, this is the dream of his father, the dream of the Philippines in the past. I am looking forward at how Noynoy will dribble and shoot the ball. He may still need improvements. Lucky for him he has an MVP brother-in-law.

This is not a campaign for Noynoy Aquino. I am not paid to favor him. Actually, I am still unsure whether or not to vote for him.

But he has the greater chance to unite the Philippines. He has the greater chance to put to life one of the greatest love stories I have read. We’ll see.