MANILA – A sea of yellow blanketed the area when the only son of the late global democracy icon president Corazon Aquino filed his certificate of candidacy for president in the May 2010 polls before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Manila on Saturday.
Senator Benigno “Noynoy†Aquino 3rd, the official candidate for president of the Liberal Party (LP) was accompanied by his running mate Senator Mar Roxas 2nd when they filed their certificates before Comelec national office at the historic district of Intramuros (Spanish walled city) at about 11 am Saturday.
Also with Aquino and Roxas in filing their candidacies were some of the LP senatorial candidates, including former socio-economic planning secretary Ralph Recto of the Arroyo administration, Congressman Rozzano Biazon of suburban Muntinlupa City, Metro Metro Manila; Congresssman Teofisto Guingona 3rd of Misamis Oriental province, Mindanao; former congressman Nereus Acosta of Bukidnon province, Mindanao and Congresswoman Ana Hontiveros-Baraquel of the militant party list women’s group Gabriela.
Aquino went to the Comelec a day after he, his family and supporters observed the birthday of his father, the late opposition senator Benigno Aquino Junior, in which they launched a fund-raising campaign for his presidential bid.
Comelec officials said Aquino is the first of his “nameâ€rivals in the presidential race to file his candidacy before the deadline for submission ends on December 1.
Officials said they are still awaiting between Saturday and Sunday for the arrival at the Comelec of Aquino’s major presidential rivals like his cousin former defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro of the ruling Lakas-Kampi Christian Muslim Democrats; Senator Manuel Villar of the Nationalista (Nationalist) Party; former president Joseph Estrada of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP or Party of the Filipino Masses).
As expected, the area surrounding the Comelec office turned into a sea of yellow because of the presence of thousands of Aquino supporters who wore yellow shirts and waved yellow tarpaulin banners.
Yellow, a color usually associated with cowardice, became the symbol of the struggle to restore democracy in the Philippines, led by Aquino’s parents, which resulted in the ouster of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos by the Edsa 1 People Power revolution in February 1986.
Before Aquino and Roxas proceeded to the Comelec, they attended mass at the nearby Manila Cathedral. After the mass, the supporters, headed by Aquino’s three sisters including popular actress and TV host Kris Aquino held a programme in a makeshift stage outside the cathedral.
Also present and lending a romantic atmosphere to the occasion was Aquino’s girlfriend Shalani Salvador, a councilor running for reelection in next year’s polls in suburban Valenzuela City, Metro Manila.
Salvador called on the people to vote for Aquino as she expressed willingness to join him in his nationwide sorties.
With Aquino’s entry, Comelec officials disclosed the total number of presidential aspirants they have accepted as of Saturday stood at 44, mostly unknowns.
Officials added that most of them would be disqualified as “nuisance candidates,†mainly for their lack of a nationwide network of supporters and lack of funds.
Aquino, who is campaigning on a platform of good governance, transparency and campaign against corruption, remains the overwhelming favorite to become the next president in the coming elections based on several opinion surveys by polling organizations.
The latest survey, undertaken by Social Weather Stations (SWS) from November 4 to 8, had 1,200 respondents nationwide with a margin of error of plus or minus three percent.
SWS said its findings showed Aquino as the runaway winner with 47 percent as against the 20 percent of Senator Manuel Villar and the 12 percent of Estrada. Teodoro, Aquino’s cousin and the administration candidate , received a measly two percent, it added.
Mayor Edward Hagedorn of Puerto Princesa City in the island province of Palawan in Southern Luzon, admitted he commissioned SWS to conduct the survey, saying he wanted to be guided by its results on whether or not to accept several offers for him to run for a national position like senator.
Apparently not satisfied with the results, Hagedorn said he opted to run for reelection as mayor of Puerto Princesa City and filed his certificate of candidacy before the Comelec office there on Wednesday.
Loading ...
In 11 years in government, critics note that Aquino has not made any significant contributions to legislation. Several commentators have criticized Aquino for showing little to deserve the presidency aside from his parents’ reputations.
At almost 50 years old he has neither a wife nor any children. Moreover, Aquino had lived with his mother, the former president, until her death. To them, this is demonstrates how Aquino has never held any real responsibilities of his own throughout his life.
His support of the Reproductive Health Bill.
Another issue is Noynoy’s stake in his family’s 7,500 hectare estate, Hacienda Luisita. His mother, the former president Corazon Aquino, was also criticized on these grounds, especially in failing to push for land redistribution reforms given their alleged conflict of interest. These have culminated in the massacre of 12 picketing farmers and 2 children and the injury of hundreds of other protesters at the hands of the Aquino family’s personnel as the group demanded fairer wages, employee benefits and, broadly speaking, a greater commitment to land reform around the country. Aquino has so far rejected calls to let go of his stake in the plantation.
Face it Noy, you’re not from the Hood. You won’t know how we feel and how we live. you can’t help us. Someone like Manny Villar can help us , casue he’s been there done that. Most of all, he doesnt have insecurities and mood swings that you have.