The landscape of the 2010 Philippine presidential elections suddenly changed when the son of former Philippine President Cory Aquino, heroine of the 1986 “People Power” movement and the martyred former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, announced last September 9, Wednesday, that he would run for president. Many have applauded Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, Jr. on this announcement and his platform of clean government. This effectively puts Noynoy among the front-runners for next May’s Philippine presidential elections.
Pressure on Senator Noynoy to run has been great since his mother President Cory died last month. Hundreds of thousands of people came to her wake and poured onto the streets for her funeral... the biggest crowd seen in the Philippines since the 1986 “People Power” revolution that ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos and swept Cory Aquino to power. The crowds were reported to be almost as big as his dad, Ninoy’s funeral.
Senator Noynoy’s announcement about his presidential bid came a week after his Liberal party mate; Senator Mar Roxas announced that he was giving up his own presidential ambitions and give way to Noynoy. A Noynoy and Mar tandem certainly looks like a formidable team-up. That will make the Philippine elections next year even more colorful!
During his announcement that he will ran for president, Senator Noynoy said, “I am determined to continue the fight started by my father and my mother to see that democracy takes root and is strengthened in our country. This cannot happen in a government that serves the interest of the powerful few. We must strengthen the institutions of government so that they truly serve the interests of our people.” He added, “I accept the plea of the nation. I also accept the instructions of my parents... I accept the responsibility to continue the fight for the country.”
That puts Senator Noynoy in a very interesting situation, right there at the shadows of his parents, who are regarded as national heroes in the Philippines. Some people are saying that Senator Noynoy doesn’t seem to have solid credentials apart from being a “good guy” and the only son of two national heroes. They also point to his lack of executive experience and question his ability to bring economic reform. But it is said that becoming president is destiny. Will it be Senator Noynoy’s destiny to be president of his country? Well, we will know soon enough...
People have now started to compare Senator Noynoy to American President Barack Obama. Remember what critics said when President Obama first threw in his hat at the Democratic convention? Critics said that he was too “raw” and still untested in national politics as he was just serving his first term as junior senator from Illinois. Senator Noynoy, although also in his first term as Philippine senator, had already served three terms in the House of Representatives. Still, his legislative record has been described as “unremarkable.” But this can be explained by the fact that he doesn’t like to grandstand and steal the limelight just to look good to prospective voters. Many believe he is such a simple guy and not the type who would play to the public and the Senate gallery to grab attention. In the end, it is hoped that Filipinos, just like the Americans, will realize that having an honest neophyte president is preferable over an experienced but dishonest one, as it will give a fresh take on the presidency.
Another thing Noynoy has in common with President Obama is that both have stoked the fire in the bellies among their countrymen who have who have lost faith in traditional politics. If you recall, President Obama began a campaign that broke new ground, which relied on computer technology and on a broad network of support of the young: professionals and students who were all idealistic and energetic. Senator Noynoy, on the other hand, commands the so-called “Yellow Army,” whose faith in him was demonstrated with the massive number of people that turned out for his mother’s funeral. These are the people who most of us thought have already forgotten the “EDSA Revolution” feeling. President Cory’s death seemed to have brought back memories of this feeling and clamors for honest and clean governance. I guess Filipinos have become tired of all the scandals the have beset and is still troubling the incumbent Arroyo administration.
For sure, this strong support from the Filipino people is a positive indication of Senator Noynoy’s good chance to fulfill his own destiny. Analysts believe he has a chance to win the presidential election next year if he can expand his party’s small network of support by sustaining and strengthening the outpouring of emotion shown by Filipinos during his mother’s funeral last month.
At the moment, it looks like Senator Noynoy does indeed have a good fighting chance. In a survey done by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) on 1,200 respondents a few days before Noynoy’s September 9 announcement that he will run for president, Senator Noynoy got 50 percent, meaning that if elections were held now, over 50 percent of voters will give him their votes. Senator Manuel Villar, former President Joseph Estrada and Senator Francis Escudero followed Senator Noynoy with 14 percent, 13 percent and 12 percent, respectively. Vice President Manuel “Noli” de Castro got only 7 percent.
The survey, commissioned by some Philippine business groups, was conducted on Sept 5-6 in the Luzon area, from Pangasinan in the north down to central Luzon and Southern Tagalog regions, including the National Capital Region. This was the first survey in which Senator Noynoy’s name was included. In the past surveys, he was not considered because his term as senator will still end in 2013.
The road to the 2010 elections is still long, a lot may still happen. But from where I stand now, things do look good for Noynoy, the son, to break away from the formidable shadow of his parents Ninoy and Cory.
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