When Barack Obama ran and won as president, I was among those wishing that someone in our political landscape would rise up and emerge as a similar personality. One with strong conviction and one who doesn’t believe in the control of the elite.
With election looming, the same sentiment seems to echo – a hope for a Pinoy version of Obama. Obama’s election as president of the free world seems to have every politician’s gunning for a “statesman” image. Everyone wants to project that young, learned, and charismatic image. But is that even possible for politicians here in the Philippines?
Given today’s slate of “presidentiables,” no one even comes close to Obama. Why? Name a politician who has cut abs? Okay. So that’s mundane but that sure makes a lot of difference. But how about this profile – young, humble roots, community organizer, non-trapo, and liberal? Makes you think really hard, doesn’t it?
So what’s the latest news? Noynoy Aquino’s being pushed to run for president and even strong contender Mar Roxas was willing to step aside (class act or propaganda?). So Noynoy’s father’s considered a hero and his mother’s recent death has resurrected People Power nostalgia but what can Noynoy really have to offer aside from a colorful heritage?
Sad to say that before his mother died, I’ve never heard of Noynoy doing anything significant. Maybe I just missed those bits but that already tells me something.
Even Noynoy doesn’t want to be compared to Obama primarily because Obama is an unproven entity. So junior wants to be like mom and pop instead. For one, given his heritage, he’s more of a Kennedy by comparison (or perhaps even like Chelsea Clinton).
The thing is, given what we have experienced for the past century as a republic, very few officials have displayed admirable statesmanship. Everyone else is a politician and the elections has always been the dirty game.
That weltanschauung has led some (like myself) to be cynical – that any attempt at statesmanship is easily interpreted as politicking. Any claim of sincerity simply defies that view. Maybe Mar’s sincere about stepping aside and maybe Anna Nicole really married for love.
Will we find our version of Obama? Will we finally see change come to Malacanang?
Fat chance.
Check out these other posts:
0 Comments.