Roco's party wants Noynoy

MANILA, Philippines - The clamor for Sen. Benigno Aquino III to seek the presidency in the 2010 election continues to snowball.

Aksyon Demokratiko, the political party founded by the late Sen. Raul Roco, is wooing Aquino to be its standard-bearer in next year’s local and national polls.

According to Roco’s widow and party chair Sonia, she had written Aquino last Aug. 26 to formally invite him to lead the party in the coming polls.

“We want him to be our standard-bearer. We know it would be difficult for him to become the standard-bearer of the Liberal Party (LP) because of Sen. Mar Roxas,” she told The STAR.

Aquino and Roxas both belong to the LP but the latter had long declared that he was gunning for the presidency next year.

Roco said that since the death of Aquino’s mother, former President Corazon Aquino, there has been an outpouring of support and calls for the senator to carry on the legacy of his mother.

“Our political landscape has changed... People like us believe that we need to have a new set of leaders who will (govern with) honesty. And of course we have to keep them honest. Our obligation as citizens does not end when we cast our votes,” she said.

The party, Roco maintained, does not want to settle for the “lesser evil” among the presidential wannabes but for the “greater good,” so it is eyeing Aquino as standard-bearer.

Roco admitted having talked with Aquino about the invitation. 

“He said that we boosted his confidence,” she said.

On Aquino’s pronouncement that he is not yet prepared to run for president, Roco recalled that his mother was in the same situation when she became the country’s chief executive in February 1986 after the people power revolt.

“Was Cory prepared? With his nine years of legislative work, Noynoy is prepared. We believe that the time is ripe for him to become president. If your heart is open and clean, preparation will just come in. The people have spoken and they want change. There’s a wave that we have to ride on and sustain and Noynoy stands out (among them),” Roco added.

Make mine ‘yellow’

But apart from the overwhelming spontaneity, it could be the so-called “yellow revolution” that may yet compel Aquino to seek higher office in May 2010, and not just mere lip service from potential supporters.

“If this is just my ambition, then it’s pointless. But if it is us as a whole who wants to go in that direction, then that’s certainty,” he told Congress reporters Thursday night when he hosted dinner for old friends who covered him when he was still Tarlac congressman.

He said seeing yellow ribbons placed conspicuously in houses and vehicles may yet be his turning point because this simply means that people are serious about wanting to see change in Philippine politics. This is on top of the signature campaign and other similar initiatives.

“All of these manifestations, taken together, gives you more confidence that it’s not just a pipe dream,” the only son of the two icons of democracy – martyred opposition Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and his wife former President Cory – reiterated.

“The signature campaign is good but wearing yellow, or yellow ribbons, means it is clear that you are committed. That means I’m committed to doing something about my country. That is the message not only during the election, not only during the campaign,” he said.

The senator, on a personal note, said he doesn’t dream of going back to Malacañang after what had happened to their mother, because he, along with his other siblings, have been “witness” to how it is in government, being presidential children themselves.

Aquino also wants to sift through the supporters who have been offering all kinds of help, if only to find out who among them are “genuine” and those who merely want to further their political clout.

A conscientious study must first be made on all these, according to him.

He added that the support or clamor should not just be limited to the campaign period or election day, it should go beyond it. “More importantly, pag nandun ka na at sinuwerte ka, makakapag-deliver ka ba dun sa (if you’re lucky enough to win, can you deliver on your) promises? Baka pwede ng mapakita yung commitment na yan.”

And unlike other candidates who have prepared, projected themselves and enjoyed media attention, he still loves to keep his life private.

He said he never did self-aggrandizement or brag and that he was even told that he had done nothing simply because he didn’t advertise.

He added that he doesn’t want to frustrate people who have been egging him to seek higher office, although he still keeps an open mind on whether he would seek the vice presidency or the presidency in next year’s elections.

“For me the measure of success is your ability to create your successor. If my father was pushed by the people to continue the fight, my mother pursued it. If there is someone who would continue the fight, and if it grows, then I’m sure something is bound to happen,” he said. – Delon Porcalla