They say his only claim to fame is his last name, which Kris herself also has. Others say he hasn't done much during his term as a member of the House of Representatives. Still, some others say the same story during his term in the Senate. Others who are confused as to whether they are pundits or parlor folks question his thinning hair and his sense of style—or the lack thereof—as if life revolves around the fashion runway. I've heard others aver that he and the plight of the Haciena Luisita farmers do not mix, like oil and water. Older dogs in politics bark out loud that, like a fruit hanging on to dear life from a twig, he is not yet ripe for the taking, or that he is yet to prove himself. Those madly campaigning for other presidential candidates stick out the argument that he has no platform for running this country, which is why he has no right to take on the challenge this coming national elections in the first place.
To all of which I say, the accusations prove futile. And on the contrary, the zeal by which they parade their sense of omniscience or for infinitely knowing things which others can barely begin to grasp can only make myself hold on tight to my conviction that this man they call Noynoy is the last straw that will break the camel's back, as in despair and hopelessness. A flicker of light has never been more beautiful than during the darkest and most unholy hours of the night. This man they call Noynoy does not truly fit the mold of traditional politicians which we have grown accustomed to.
His claim to fame is his last name. Very true. So what? Can it not truly be a source of envy for most of us, if not all of us? You have parents who have changed this country, one plucking the nation out of the pit of tyranny and the other restoring democracy when everybody else least expected the deed to be within the limits of the possible, you have all the right in the world to brandish the legacy of your parents and lay your hands on it, if not claim it as if it was yours as well. That is Noynoy's comparative advantage over the pack, one that not even Noynoy himself can escape. He could not have chosen his parents, let alone decide for them what they should have done. It's the least shocking of all things that can leave us dumbfounded. To envy him is to say that you're original sin is to have been born to a different family, in all senses of the word "different". To be born as the only son of Cory and Ninoy is already a blessing in itself. To continue what they have begun is another. Truly, his claim to fame is his last name, which is the same for Kris. So what?
Others say he hasn't done much during his term as a member of the House of Representatives. Still, some others say the same story during his term in the Senate. That is the mindset of those who can only comprehend a bottle that is half-empty when it, too, is half-filled. That is the mindset of those who can only see the infinite emptiness of space when there is a whole universe out there. Closer to home, that is the mindset of those who caterwaul when their whims are not served with pleasure. The fact remains that Noynoy, too, did take part in the legislative process and championed several bills. He, too, did not bend back just to dodge the dregs dragged right down the doorsteps of the Senate when the people called upon him and the upper chamber of Congress to investigate the capricious deeds of the lady lording over this land. That, so that the people may know. It's the most fundamental duty a duly elected public official owes to the people. You only have to have the balls to take on such a delicate responsibility.
Others who are confused as to whether they are pundits or parlor folks question his thinning hair and his sense of style—or the lack thereof—as if life revolves around the fashion runway. It is enough to say that a man's hair and his clothes do not define his being, unless you believe that a mole on your cheek defines your incapacity to resist the dirt and grime of political and moral corruption. Or unless you seriously believe that a dick defines a man.
I've heard others aver that he and the plight of the Haciena Luisita farmers do not mix, like oil and water. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Why be afraid to have Noynoy, a Cojuangco, as the leader of this country? Being a Cojuangco should be reason for us to all the more push for Noynoy. That way, the problems besetting Hacienda Luisita will never go forgotten. For as long as Noynoy is up there, we have someone to constantly remind ourselves of the yoke that burdens us and the obvious response to the clarion call. And we have someone to constantly shake, Noynoy being a fruit of the Cojuangco tree, or something to that effect. Or owing largely to the fact that he knows where he is coming from, or better still, that we know where he is coming from. The long and short of it all is that Noynoy and the plight of the Hacienda Luisita workers, both living and dead, are like lovers—they go hand-in-hand. Or one cannot go without the other.
Older dogs in politics bark out loud that, like a fruit hanging on to dear life from a twig, he is not yet ripe for the taking, or that he is yet to prove himself. But lest they forget, the ground has already shifted beneath their feet. Today is a time when being ripe no longer means having the political machinery but having the civilian machinery. You have the tools to campaign but you lack the rallying force of the people beside, behind, and in front of you, you are as useless as an appendix. You have the engine but lack the fuel, you've got to be sane enough to ask yourself how far you can go, if at all you can move an inch.
Those madly campaigning for other presidential candidates stick out the argument that he has no platform for running this country, which is why he has no right to take on the challenge this coming national elections in the first place. It bears stressing that Noynoy had no intention to run in the first place. Never mind his decision to suspend his judgment while the rest urged him to make his final stand. Just mind the stark reality that some others were already busy flooding televisions and radios with their self-indulgence and extreme narcissism when the law itself provides that the proper campaign season is yet to commence. You have got to wonder why all these despite all the stress and pressure of being the leader of eighty million or so Filipinos. Genuine service? Now that's a behemoth phrase. You have to be too blind not to see it stand against your way. Those who fail to see that immense duty have their eyes more likely fixed on something else. But those who easily recognize its unmistakable gravity on bare face yet carry on with the mission after contemplation are the ones who deserve to take on the challenge.
And win over it.
Just a quarter of the reasons why I am for Noynoy. I can't wait for you to ask where is all the rest of them.
To all of which I say, the accusations prove futile. And on the contrary, the zeal by which they parade their sense of omniscience or for infinitely knowing things which others can barely begin to grasp can only make myself hold on tight to my conviction that this man they call Noynoy is the last straw that will break the camel's back, as in despair and hopelessness. A flicker of light has never been more beautiful than during the darkest and most unholy hours of the night. This man they call Noynoy does not truly fit the mold of traditional politicians which we have grown accustomed to.
His claim to fame is his last name. Very true. So what? Can it not truly be a source of envy for most of us, if not all of us? You have parents who have changed this country, one plucking the nation out of the pit of tyranny and the other restoring democracy when everybody else least expected the deed to be within the limits of the possible, you have all the right in the world to brandish the legacy of your parents and lay your hands on it, if not claim it as if it was yours as well. That is Noynoy's comparative advantage over the pack, one that not even Noynoy himself can escape. He could not have chosen his parents, let alone decide for them what they should have done. It's the least shocking of all things that can leave us dumbfounded. To envy him is to say that you're original sin is to have been born to a different family, in all senses of the word "different". To be born as the only son of Cory and Ninoy is already a blessing in itself. To continue what they have begun is another. Truly, his claim to fame is his last name, which is the same for Kris. So what?
Others say he hasn't done much during his term as a member of the House of Representatives. Still, some others say the same story during his term in the Senate. That is the mindset of those who can only comprehend a bottle that is half-empty when it, too, is half-filled. That is the mindset of those who can only see the infinite emptiness of space when there is a whole universe out there. Closer to home, that is the mindset of those who caterwaul when their whims are not served with pleasure. The fact remains that Noynoy, too, did take part in the legislative process and championed several bills. He, too, did not bend back just to dodge the dregs dragged right down the doorsteps of the Senate when the people called upon him and the upper chamber of Congress to investigate the capricious deeds of the lady lording over this land. That, so that the people may know. It's the most fundamental duty a duly elected public official owes to the people. You only have to have the balls to take on such a delicate responsibility.
Others who are confused as to whether they are pundits or parlor folks question his thinning hair and his sense of style—or the lack thereof—as if life revolves around the fashion runway. It is enough to say that a man's hair and his clothes do not define his being, unless you believe that a mole on your cheek defines your incapacity to resist the dirt and grime of political and moral corruption. Or unless you seriously believe that a dick defines a man.
I've heard others aver that he and the plight of the Haciena Luisita farmers do not mix, like oil and water. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Why be afraid to have Noynoy, a Cojuangco, as the leader of this country? Being a Cojuangco should be reason for us to all the more push for Noynoy. That way, the problems besetting Hacienda Luisita will never go forgotten. For as long as Noynoy is up there, we have someone to constantly remind ourselves of the yoke that burdens us and the obvious response to the clarion call. And we have someone to constantly shake, Noynoy being a fruit of the Cojuangco tree, or something to that effect. Or owing largely to the fact that he knows where he is coming from, or better still, that we know where he is coming from. The long and short of it all is that Noynoy and the plight of the Hacienda Luisita workers, both living and dead, are like lovers—they go hand-in-hand. Or one cannot go without the other.
Older dogs in politics bark out loud that, like a fruit hanging on to dear life from a twig, he is not yet ripe for the taking, or that he is yet to prove himself. But lest they forget, the ground has already shifted beneath their feet. Today is a time when being ripe no longer means having the political machinery but having the civilian machinery. You have the tools to campaign but you lack the rallying force of the people beside, behind, and in front of you, you are as useless as an appendix. You have the engine but lack the fuel, you've got to be sane enough to ask yourself how far you can go, if at all you can move an inch.
Those madly campaigning for other presidential candidates stick out the argument that he has no platform for running this country, which is why he has no right to take on the challenge this coming national elections in the first place. It bears stressing that Noynoy had no intention to run in the first place. Never mind his decision to suspend his judgment while the rest urged him to make his final stand. Just mind the stark reality that some others were already busy flooding televisions and radios with their self-indulgence and extreme narcissism when the law itself provides that the proper campaign season is yet to commence. You have got to wonder why all these despite all the stress and pressure of being the leader of eighty million or so Filipinos. Genuine service? Now that's a behemoth phrase. You have to be too blind not to see it stand against your way. Those who fail to see that immense duty have their eyes more likely fixed on something else. But those who easily recognize its unmistakable gravity on bare face yet carry on with the mission after contemplation are the ones who deserve to take on the challenge.
And win over it.
Just a quarter of the reasons why I am for Noynoy. I can't wait for you to ask where is all the rest of them.
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