Why vote for Noynoy Aquino?

I met Noynoy Aquino for the first time last November 2008, in one of Mar Roxas' events. It was in Balai ni Mar. He came with only one bodyguard and appeared like a professor to me, not a distinguished senator.

What endeared him to me was his humility. He never bragged about his wealth, nor his pedigree nor his superiority to me. I am, but, a humble and poor man. He asked me for a light and I gave it to him and that started a conversation. Though I like to tell you what we talked about, I figured that it will not be fair to him.

Anyway, I was one of those who was shocked when he decided to run for president. When I saw him, I did not imagine that he's "presidential material". There was no glow around him, nothing extraordinary. Unlike, say, Erap and FVR and Cory--they have this "air" around them that suggests that they are not your usual or ordinary people. As they say, those who became or will become presidents usually has this "glow". I never saw that with Noynoy.

What I noticed was his sincerity and humility, traits that every single Aquino possesses. I met his mother and his sister in so many occasions and was struck me was their humility. I was not fortunate enough to meet his father, Ninoy, but shed a bucketful of tears when the dictator's henchmen shot him at the airport tarmac.

I was also one of those who went to Club Filipino and heard him tell the world that he was running for the presidency. I told some of my friends over at Mar's camp that probably, Mar's decision to back out was a wrong move, because, I think that Mar deserved to be the Liberal's standard bearer because he wants to be president while Noynoy was not that convincing, at first.

Then it hit me--what if Noynoy's decision to run was what God really intended? I reminded myself of the Biblical story of David, of how a poor and unknown shepherd became God's anointed one. David never aspired to become King but God anointed him. He never intended to become a warrior of God, but the Almighty put the fear of God in his heart and he vanquished God's enemies through the might of his slingshot.

What prompted Noynoy to seek the highest post of the land? Is it because he want nothing more than glory? No, probably not. Is it because he wanted to save his family's ailing businesses? Obviously not. The Aquino's wealth will probably last a lifetime, even beyond Baby James' life time.

Is Noynoy seeking vainglory? No. And then it hit me again.

When this country was reeling from the distresses caused by a strongman's vanity, one lowly citizen stood up and said " Tama na, Sobra na" and it was his mother, Cory.

When people were being killed left and right, his father, Noynoy, stood up and said " Enough!".

Now, we are in the same depressing situation and its now the son's turn.

How many Aquinos do we need for us to change the lot of this country? One, two, or three? How much more sacrifice will this family do to us before we even realize that it is simply not just them who'll do the talking and walking--more importantly, it must be US.

God gives glory to those who seek not its beauty. And this, probably, is why we now see the only son of Ninoy and Cory giving his entire life, his entire future, so that others may be free.

Yet, I ask--how many more Noynoys do we need for us to finally liberate ourselves from the shackles of ignorance and poverty? Is it right for us to demand more from this family who has been giving us their entire selves for the last four decades?

This probably explains why many Filipinos prefer Noynoy than Villar. Villar desired the presidency, Noynoy does not. Villar prepared for years for this campaign for the top post, Noynoy did not.

And like what God and History always tell us---those whose fate are not congruent with God's, the Almighty will frustrate them.

By the way, the next survey will shock us---former president Joseph Estrada has overtaken Villar and is now statistically tied with Noynoy. What a shocker indeed!