IS THERE MORE TO NOYNOY?

The Senator and the Snowballing People's Clamor

Cebu Daily News EDITORIAL

First Posted 10:48:00 09/07/2009

There's a growing clamor for Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III to run for president.The call has reached Cebu as supporters of his mother, Corazon Aquino, launched the Noynoy Aquino for President Movement last Friday.A manifesto urging Noynoy to run for president in 2010 to address a moral, political and economic crisis in the country has been passed around in different schools in Cebu.

The manifesto states that the senator would always honor the memory of his father, Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., and the legacy of his mother, Cory, and their historic role in ending the Marcos dictatorship, in whatever public office that he holds.

There is no doubt that Filipinos owe a lot to the Aquino siblings for sharing their parents, Ninoy and Cory, with the country.It's not easy growing up without a father, who was assassinated following his return from exile in the United States in 1983. Grieving over the death of Ninoy, the Aquino children had to share their mother with the nation after she decided to continue her husband's struggle. She succeeded in ending 20 years of iron-fisted rule of Ferdinand Marcos by leading People Power in 1986 and assuming the presidency.

Now, it may be Noynoy’s turn.His sisters were not too excited, remembering their “fishbowl” lives in Malacañang where everything happened in the public eye.Noynoy, if elected president, is expected to “carry the torch of leadership left by his illustrious parents” says the manifesto. Can he step up to the challenge? Will he truly be able to address the ills of this nation borne by years of corruption and abuse by those in power?

Noynoy, a graduate of economics at the Ateneo University, served as congressman of the second district of Tarlac from 1998 to 2007.

A glance at the Philippine Senate's website shows that one of his key legislative initiatives was a bill to require a public bidding for the procurement of the petroleum, oil and lubricants requirements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, for transparency. He introduced legislation that would grant annual productivity incentives to all workers in the private sector and increase the penalties for non-compliance of wage orders. Noynoy also sponsored a House bill creating a congressional oversight committee on intelligence funds. In the 10 years he served as a congressman and now senator, Noynoy was never implicated in any scandal involving moral turpitude.

He may have dated famous women but he has always been protective of his privacy, unlike his famous showbiz sister.He hasn't resorted to absurd antics to gain media attention, unlike some senators and Cabinet secretaries.

Noynoy is his parents’ son, no doubt. But there should be more to him than just being an Aquino.