The Aquino Boom

Our country has had very few leaders like Corazon

Aquino, in whose name and in whose defense
millions deed tyranny: few Filipinos have been so
widely admired and cherished
at home and abroad. It would have been easy for her to
enjoy the comforts of retirement and abandon
the political stage:
easy, but at the peril of betraying everything
she stood and suffered for – freedom and the
principle that no man or woman is indispensable
to the country.
It was the only time in her presidency that Mrs. Aquino
matched the toughness of celebrated world leaders like Golda
Meir and Margaret Thatcher. And that time, everybody did Cory’s bidding.
With her death, the Philippines went wild about her son
Benigno Simeon C. “Noynoy” Aquino III. An outpouring of
grief over the death of his mother in August of last year had convinced Mr. Aquino to give in to massive calls for him to run
for president on the platform of change.
The simple explanation of the current Aquino-inspired
rejoicing must be that the Filipino people as a whole are fundamentally sound and that they know a good, faithful, and
patriotic public servant when they see one. It is more apparent that in P.Noy, they have seen one.
It is doubtful if any administration has received so much public condemnation for tolerance of ofcial crookedness,
corruption, inefciency, and incompetence. But despite the
general damnation that has come from the people, Aquino has been singled out as a shining exception. Maybe or not because
of what his parents did.
Nacionalistas –liberal’s greatest rival during the campaign
period – who feared their party’s collapse then that Aquino is running, planned and schemed to woo back the ex-senator. But
all attempts have proved futile.
It wasn’t the strength of a political party, but the people’s
thirst for “true reforms” that won for Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III the presidency.
And now that he is married to our country, when should the “honeymoon period” start? Right after he won the elections, or
after he assumes ofce?
It does not matter whether he starts early or late if he is
headed for the cliff.
Many will have conicting judgments. But one thing they
can’t differ about – are the facts.
Like the new graduates who are stepping forth from
their halls of learning into the world of affairs, the Philippine government is about to pass out of its period of tutelage and
make its bid for a place in the concert of nations. Out of these facts we will have diverging opinions – all opinions are equal –
and reality has a way of taking shape according to the manner an opinion presents how it will take shape.
As P.Noy has declared, the leaders must unite and consolidate all their efforts. Anything short of whole-hearted,
whole souled and undivided effort will spell certain disaster for
the Philippines.
Meanwhile the Aquino boom keeps increasing. To try to stop it would be tantamount to the old story of sweeping back
the ocean with a broom.
Then it will be a hundred days after the May 10, 2010
elections and two hundred and so on– what next, where to –
Philippines. SIX YEARS.