My politics, for now

A few days ago, Mar Roxas stepped down from his dream of becoming the President of the Philippines in 2010 to back Noynoy Aquino.

I feel like history was made in that press conference. At first, I was shocked. I thought about the length of time he had indicated his desire to run for the presidency. I thought about the money he spent on ads that both earned the appeal of some and the ridicule of others. I thought about Noynoy Aquino and about his relatively unrippled role in his political history. I thought it should have been Noynoy backing Mar as the Liberal Party standard bearer.

But the idea started to set in my mind and I thought, "wait." That Mar stepped down felt like a new concept. I may be young but I am pretty sure this is the first time in a long while someone stepped away from power to back a candidate who came from nowhere. It put credence to Mar's statements that he loved the country and would make the necessary sacrifice for the Philippines, including himself. For most trapos, the necessary sacrifice would be to put themselves up as president, rather than to step away from it and stand behind someone else. Yung tipong, "mahirap maging pangulo pero gagawin ko para sa inyo". And then they rob you and your ideals blind.

Detractors have come out saying Noynoy's banking on his last name and the fact his father was a martyr and his mother a democratic icon and hero for the world. They're saying he has nothing to show for and that he has been too quiet, that we need a President who has fire and passion and pizzazz. They're saying his retreat is gimmickry (really, Malacanang, after the SONA and now this? You're degrading the Palace to potshots and insults. You want to call a gimmick a gimmick, how'd that Unity Walk on the beach turn out for you?).

But know what I'm feeling, a 22 year old Filipino already half disillusioned by our country's politics? I'm feeling hope. It's not quite the hope Barack Obama spurred in his nation that led to him being the first black (among others) President of the United States. It feels like a slow but sure trickle in your bones that maybe this changes the turn of the tide. The proof is in candidates laying down their own aspirations to back Noynoy's campaign, from Among Ed, Grace Padaca, Jojo Binay, Kiko Pangilinan. It's in people finally saying that with GMA's rather formidable forces and resources at her disposal, reform stands in uniting behind one person. It's in Noynoy taking his time to think about the charge people are putting upon him, saying only one definite thing; that if he decides to run this late in the game, it's not going to be a traditional campaign, indebted to wealthy businessmen and politicians before he could even be elected, but a people's campaign to spur him on. It's in the Liberal Party showing promise of becoming an actual party, choosing for the party, for their standards, and their idea of what's good for the people. In short, we're looking at decisions that seem to be coming from an actual party, much like the ones in the U.S. or Europe, not one based on coalitions and divisions and popularity contests. I feel like the decision of Mar to back Noynoy was a practical decision of whether Noynoy has more of a mandate from the people than he does, whether the path to step down is the path to reform, whether Noynoy with the backing of his party and good men will finally bring us back to life, whether stepping down will further unify groups outside the Liberal Party and form a solid opposition front.

The things I've been thinking about before I myself make my decision in May 2010 about my vote will be this: if he decides to run, is Noynoy his own person or is he relying on his last name. Does he have the qualifications to run? Will he in the end, disappoint us by falling into the traps traditional politics have set out, such as graft and corruption?

Admittedly, I know next to nothing about his political background as a representative of Tarlac. I'm basing much of my thoughts right now to the newspaper, to impressions, to what smart people are discussing. But I'm thinking that he is endowed with a last name that brings to mind some of the greatest struggles and triumphs of the nation. And yes, he can rely on it, but why not? We have a government that relies on political dynasties as the fuel of their coalitions. How can these people not rely on THEIR last names? We can turn their pointing fingers back to them. Did GMA not also rely on the strength of what her father had done as president? Is Imelda not hoping her son, named after his father, can follow his legacy as well? Unlike them though, Noynoy has a last name that did more good than bad for the country. Ninoy Aquino died for us, a time I never made it into existence to, but one that set the stage for a democracy I could be born into. Cory Aquino was a saint of our times, proving to the world that peaceful revolution was possible, that laying rosaries and linking arms with nuns and people and students was possible to stop tanks and soldiers from bloodshed. The name brings hope and thousands upon thousands of mourners to lay their respects to both such people. Ninoy's death triggered our anger, his wife brought together the people, and his son can maybe, just maybe, get us back on track without the hardships of martial law and fledgeling democracies their lifetimes had to face.

At the very least, I feel like we have a candidate who is not the lesser evil, more like an unknown good. We may not be sure of his track record and his experience, some say, is not enough. Well, Cory was a housewife, an introvert who quietly supported her husband's campaigns, until his death and people's anger made the decision for her that she was being called. If Noynoy hears that calling, more than GMA has heeded it, more than Erap has listened to the masa, then he is even more indebted to us and responsible to us than anyone else has been.

A large part of our votes falls upon blind faith. When 2004 came around, we voted GMA in (or I think we did... who knows with Garci in position?). We are not sure how things might turn out in the six years one is President. We have an idea but we can never be sure, much as we are constantly shocked at repetitive issues from the Hello, Garci scandal, ZTE deal, expensive dinners, boob job booboos. We think there can never be a lower low, but than there is. So I place a lot of faith in clean hope, on hope that isn't "Well, I hope she's not a worse choice than the other guy... at least she IS a politician and not an actor", on feeling like the tides may turn when egos are small and sacrifices for the good are made. And I'll pay attention to that when I decide my vote.