The People's Choice, young and old

By Jose Ma. Montelibano
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:33:00 10/23/2009

Filed Under: Inquirer Politics, Eleksyon 2010, Benigno Aquino III


There are many Filipinos, from professional social scientists to amateur political analysts in barber shops, who have tried to explain the Noynoy phenomenon. From a senator who did not even think of running for president, and was not seriously considered by even his own party of being the standard bearer, Benigno Aquino III, after his mother Cory's dramatic illness, death and burial, was catapulted by a groundswell urging him to run for president. It was not the trite and often comical claim by wannabes that "the people are calling me," but an incredible, palpable public demand that has changed the rules of the game.

Of course, Noynoy was not the only one who felt the powerful sentiment of tens of millions of Filipinos. More than him, it was the other presidential hopefuls who were shaken by the sudden turn of events. Whatever their plans, whatever their ratings, however long they had been working for their candidacies, all these were almost laid to total waste by the tsunami of a people-powered call for Noynoy for president. In late August, a friend who was running a local mayoral survey for a largely populated Laguna town included Noynoy in the survey and was shocked at the numbers he got. Two weeks later, the numbers increased even more when the Social Weather Stations (SWS) did a quick Dagupan-to-Lucena survey or the Luzon "heartland" which sets the trend for national candidates.
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