"I'm sorry I'm late. I waited for Noynoy's announcement. He's running," the judge announced to everyone in court last Wednesday. Was that hope I detected in her voice? She proceeded with the day's business before I could further speculate on her thoughts.
I didn't get the chance to see Noynoy's TV announcement live but the Internet and TV news shows were filled with updates and comments about it days after. The strangest one I saw was a report that Makati City Mayor Jojo Binay was calling on Senator Noynoy Aquino to talk to convicted ex-President Erap Estrada. What for? I thought. I could not imagine why a person touted as the symbol of clean government would want to seek the blessings of a person convicted of plunder, never mind that some people continue to believe that Erap is supported by the "masses."
It no longer came as a surprise to read news about former Senator Franklin Drilon, one of the stalwarts of the Liberal Party, asking Erap Estrada to support Noynoy's candidacy. It made me sigh. This is new politics?
I've always wondered why Filipinos voted for Ferdinand Marcos the first time he ran in 1965. He must have been very popular then because I know a lot of people born during that period who were named "Ferdinand." He must have symbolized change because he defeated the incumbent. It is only in hindsight that we discovered that such change was for the worse (although I've met a lot of people who told me that "Martial Law was good for the country").
I am still among the undecided for the 2010 elections. If the elections were held today, however, I would most likely vote for Noynoy because he is the only one untainted by corruption charges. That would seem to be a very low standard for someone with the duty to lead us for the next six years. I suppose all the scandals under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's administration had that effect on us. We want the opposite of corruption, the opposite of dirty, the opposite of bad.
It does not have to be this way. May 2010 is still months away and to borrow the words of writer Sylvia Mayuga: "Why can't we grow a President in Noynoy as a nation?" We still have enough time to identify our dreams and aspirations for our country and to ask him what his plans are to make them come true.
I'm glad that one of the first questions that were asked of Noynoy was what his peace agenda for Mindanao were. He answered: "What I see is a need for more dialogue, setting up a baseline to better communicate with each other. When we stop talking, it becomes war, war, war." I loved that he had none of the macho posturing that Erap Estrada and Gloria Arroyo resort to when talking about the war in Mindanao.
I would like to know what Noynoy's stand is on the reproductive health bill, the sustainable forest management bill, and the enforcement of anti-corruption laws. More importantly, I would like him and other prospective leaders to know what our views are on things that are important to us. Texting and the Internet have given us cheap venues for our views to be known. We should use them now (and maybe we won't have the likes of Senator Manny Villar sponsoring the Anti-Obscenity Bill and taking us for fools).