The Philippine Online Chronicles

I admit-- I supported now President Benigno Aquino III during the campaign for the presidency last May 10. The decision was a conscious one. His platform appealed to me. His prognosis about the ills of this society strongly attracted me. It is not because most of my friends supported him. No. it was due to the perceived strength of his convictions that finally convinced me to support him.

Now, with all these stupid things happening in his administration, will I still support him? Yes, I will. Will I continue to believe in him? Maybe not. Will I just go to a corner and silently suffer while he and his men fumble their way to ignominy? No way.

My support for Pnoy rests on my belief that he will be the instrumentality of the people for change. When a leader promises and promises and fumbles and fumbles, and even lies just to sustain the people’s animation of him, that leader harms us more than helps us. Pnoy may be honest and sincere. He may be a charismatic leader; someone whom many believe could lift us from our dire situation. When, however, a leader just talks his way out of something and does not give concrete solutions and even tries to hide the imperfections of his men, this indicates that maybe I ought to reconsider my support. Or maybe not.

Pnoy is still a neophyte president trying to grapple his way out of a bureaucratic mess. Some people think that he needs more time to study the system and his barely 3-month old administration deserves our patience. We have been patient for nine long years, what’s three months worth of stupidity by his men?

There’s no comparison, of course. When, however, you read these fumbles and errors and know for a fact that these are very simple ones that even a mere employee of a company would deign do, you try to think what the problem is? Did Pnoy erred in appointing people of sub-standard qualifications or is the system the problem why they are underperforming? Are these things more of a problem of a misguided leadership or a leadership which does not fit the needs of the system?

Some people say, ah, Pnoy is being prevented to do what he’s supposed to do because of the conflicting factions inside his government. This is not new. Every administration has its own factions to contend with. Pnoy’s mother, Cory, had hers. So did Fidel V. Ramos  Former presidents Joseph Estrada’s and Arroyo’s factions were legendary. Yet, you try to think that all of these presidents managed these factions rather smoothly.

The previous dispensation had numerous factions, yet you still sense that the president was in control. In Pnoy’s case, you don’t know who is. Pnoy wants us to believe that he is in control. But, to what extent?

I am then reminded of what Pnoy said in one of his press conferences shortly after he won and his partner, Senator Mar Roxas lost. Pnoy said that he intends to give 80% of his power to his vice presidential buddy. Many people commented against him for saying that. When we hear of these rumblings inside the palace, you can’t avoid thinking, is this the political reality that we so face now? That Pnoy is simply a poster boy of numerous political and economic interests; and the real power lies in the hands of a defeated vice presidential contender?

You could sense it by the Cabinet appointees Pnoy made, of the men and women who now occupy highly sensitive posts in his government and of how he staunchly defended his men despite their grievous errors. These men and women are clearly men whom his Liberal party president trusted for so many years. Are we then being misled by this administration? That this is actually a government run by Roxas instead of an Aquino?

Is Pnoy just there to provide us with comfort or an entertainment? Or Pnoy is really there for all of us, to try to change the system?

Whatever the real deal is, I resolved to myself that this is now, beyond Noynoy. That those who supported him and are now having second thoughts should always be reminded that the decision they did last May, the support they gave Pnoy, was never about Pnoy in the first place, no.

That support was clearly based on the real desire to help fellow Filipinos. What prodded them to leave their houses and campaign for Pnoy was not to install Pnoy as president. No. that collective desire, that nationalistic feeling was clearly based on the predicate that something ought to change. That this country and its beloved people deserve better lives. That this Nation deserves to be great again.

Pnoy is merely a catalyst, a way towards real change. Pnoy symbolizes hope. Yet, this hope should be beyond mere personality. That what we, Pnoys want is simply not see an Aquino in the helm of power. No. What we simply want is to see real Pnoys being empowered.

Patricio Mangubat is a pseudonym . It means "country fight". Yet, the one behind this name is real. He can be briefly described as a long-time activist as well as a communication strategist. He once taught at the University of the Philippines and at Dela Salle University. He blogs at The New Philippine Revolution. Aside from writing, he recently opened a roast chicken business, Manok King. He blogs at filipinovoices.com and New Philippine Revolution.

Photos from Anton Sheker. Some Rights Reserved