Last Monday, I shaded black the circle opposite Sen. Noynoy Aquino’s name. That dark shade was meant to give light to a country whose people are thirsty for change. I gave my vote to Noynoy for no political reasons. Only personal ones. After all, the personal is also political.
Sometime in September last year, I was commissioned by People Asia magazine to do a cover story on Sen. Noynoy Aquino. The senator had just announced his interest to join the presidential race — on Sept. 9 to be exact, the 40th day since his mother, President Cory Aquino, passed away — and that development was fodder for page-one news.
Joanne, my Allure editor and editor-in-chief of People Asia, assured me that the senator is known for replying to messages, whether his answer is a “Yes” or a “No.” Right away, I sent a message to Noynoy whom I had not yet met personally prior to the interview.
My message read: “Good morning Sen. Noynoy. I’m Büm Tenorio. I understand you have a speaking engagement with teachers at SMX MOA today at 1:30 p.m. I am hoping if I can have a few moments with you after your speech because I’m commissioned by People Asia magazine to write an article on you. I am praying for your kind response.”
Indeed, Noynoy’s response was very kind, and very fast: “Büm, in light of all the articles you have previously written that brought smiles to Mom’s face, I will make time for you.”
So I zoomed to MOA, arriving there 30 minutes before the senator’s scheduled engagement. When he arrived, he couldn’t go straight to the convention center on the third level of the building because at the ground floor, he was “mobbed” by a throng of people who literally threw themselves at him — some for his autograph, some to have a snapshot with him. Others even attempted to block the escalator that would bring him to the venue of his speaking engagement. Those who neither had a camera-phone nor a pen just pinched his face or touched his arms. All through out this scenario, he just flashed a smile.
I approached Noynoy when he finally made it to the convention area. I introduced myself and he told me to meet up with him after his speech. After his talk, it became more pronounced that my few moments with him would be impossible given that the people at the SMX that time were all agog in giving him the rock-star treatment. The pandemonium broke loose again when he stepped out of the convention center after his speech. I thought I already lost my chance to interview him. But the senator pulled a surprise when he hushed to me: “Büm, it is impossible to do the interview here. May I invite you to lunch? Let’s do the interview at Guernica. You go ahead and I’ll follow you there. Order your food na.”
So to Guernica restaurant in MOA I went and waited for him. With the relatively short distance between the SMX and the restaurant, it took the senator some 30 minutes to get there — all because people would stop him to shake his hands, to have a photo taken with him, to ask for his autograph either on a piece of paper or on the shirts his fans slash supporters were wearing.
The senator fulfilled his promise — “I will make time for you” — because the few moments I was asking from him turned out to be almost three hours of exclusive interview over late lunch.
“The people will prevail come election day. If I will be blessed to become president, I really want the people to participate in better governance. I want them to be part of the changes in society,” he told me as he relished a plate of seafood without rice. It was his first meal of the day. It was around 2:30 p.m. He wanted to order steak, his favorite, but he opted for a lighter meal because “I have so many lined up activities for the day and I have to feel light.”
“You really want the people to participate in governance as much as possible. The people can be the monitoring arm, the validating arm. They can even be the source of ideas for better governance. We can accelerate the changes we want in society with the active participation of the people,” he said.
Apart from genuine people empowerment, Noynoy told me he believes in the stick-and-carrot system of operations. “The bottom line of carrot-and-stick method of governance is that it is a reward and punishment system. If you’re efficient in your job, you get the carrots. If you’re not doing your job, you get the stick punishment, even expulsion from work.”
Noynoy may not have the monopoly when it comes to expressing his desire to serve the nation but, for millions who believe in his capacity, he has the monopoly of sincerity to bring hope anew to the country.
In that interview, Noynoy also recalled some beautiful memories he had with his parents — Ninoy and Cory. “Their memories are summed up in their two common traits: simplicity and humility,” he said.
“My sisters and I grew up to parents who believed in corporal punishment. Lahat kami napalo when we were four to six years old. When we were kids, it was a major sin if we didn’t hear Mass. Naku if you did that, Dad is non-stop with his sermon the whole day,” he said.
He added: “Yung nanay namin kapag may kasalanan kami pinapalo kami ng hairbrush. Pero nung mga seven years old na kami, hindi na kami pinapalo. Ipinapaliwanag na sa aming mabuti ng mga magulang namin kung ano ang mga kasalanan naming magkakapatid at kung paano maiiwasan ang mga ganoong problema.”
At the end of the interview, my will had become more resolute to support him.
“Noy, I want to volunteer in your campaign,” I offered.
“I would love for you to volunteer in my campaign, Büm. But, since you’re with the media, it would be unfair to you and to others who will also run for president,” he said.
“If I quit my job?” I furthered.
“It will be unfair to your family,” he said.
His honesty and sincerity blew me away.
I left the interview feeling recharged and hopeful. Early on I already knew to whom I could entrust my precious vote.
Last Monday, I left the polling precinct with an inked finger. My heart was at peace with my decision. There’s reason to hope again.
(For your new beginnings, please e-mail me at bumbaki@yahoo.com or my.new.beginnings@gmail.com. Please follow me, too, at www.twitter.com/bum_tenorio. Have a blessed Sunday!)