Who wants Noynoy to run?

Why are we so fond of emulating what Americans did or why do we always relish the idea of replicating a success story when it's always better to create something fresh and new?

Noynoy right now is re-tracing the steps of his mother, by doing the same things that her iconic mother did before she went into battle with Macoy. Many people, especially the CBCP thinks its touche. Some, however, think, it's a bad idea. In fact, many people see this as what we Filipinos call "hinihinog sa pilit."

Come to think of it, who really urged Noynoy to run? Is it really the Filipino People? If its the people, do we have concrete evidence that most of us really want him to run? Aside from those sheets of yellow paper that Ed Roces gave people to sign their names with, are there other proof that majority of us, Filipinos, really want him to sacrifice his personal freedoms and become our president?

If you listen quite closely, you'll find that only those who are either aligned with or sympathizes with the Liberal Party that says Noynoy is the one. Think about it. The rest of us Filipinos are not quite gaga over the idea simply because either we're already too pragmatic or we know that these times are quite different from Cory's.

Don't get me wrong. I want the best president to win, someone who really has the vision, the political will and the exact opposite of the one who sits illegally in that chair beside the Pasig. But, I don't want to say that I chose the lesser evil. Or, I don't want to arrive at a conclusion that I am voting into office someone who will just perpetuate elite domination at the expense of the majority.

This elections is not about personalities, I agree. It is about principles. It is about letting New Transformative Politics replace the existing old and traditional politics.

For many days now, I have been in deep contemplation. Unlike Noynoy, however, I am not about to consult my God for this one. I want to consult my people, whom I regard as the best political analyst in this country. What is their pulse? What are their feelings about this? And I don't agree that if Noynoy fails in this, that's the end of the New Transformative Politics. No. The struggle for a True, Just and Humane Filipino society will thrive with or without Noynoy.

Noynoy may be the candidate with a clean record, but so does Nicanor Perlas, and he's not getting the same reaction compared with Cory's son. Maybe because Perlas is not a Liberal and he does not have the machinery. But, he, indeed, has the principles and probably the best platform compared with all the rest of the candidates. And if this is really an election that would pit ideas against other ideas, then, Perlas deserves more of our attention than say, Noynoy who still does not have any.

Or, maybe the founder of the Young Officers' Union (YOU), my friend, Dado Valeroso, deserves more of our attention than what we're giving Noynoy. Valeroso has the academic credentials (MA from AIM). He sacrificed his life for the vision he believed in and even gave his career up just to build a New Society. And he silently wants to declare his candidacy for the presidency. Or, maybe Capt. Nicanor Faeldon deserves more of those adulations we heap on Noynoy. He's still out there on the run, convincing people of the viability of struggling against an illegal regime and getting nothing of the praises some people are giving Noynoy.

In the end I hate to say this, but we are being conditioned by media to accept Noynoy as the best alternative candidate. And probably he is. I just sincerely fear that Noynoy is being used by forces bigger than us who has vested interests, like the Lopezes whose power were marginalized under Arroyo. Or, maybe those businessmen controlling Makati wanted him to run to protect their businesses in case an Estrada or a Villar wins.

But, of course, if we, indeed want a Noynoy, then, why only now that we realize it and not before when we were on the verge of victory over Arroyo? Maybe, Conrad is right that Noynoy is destined for this. Maybe he really is the anointed. But, what are those things which Noynoy stands for? For freedom? For democracy? Or the perpetuation of elite rule?