Noynoy Aquino, The Last Emperor

by Martin Perez – September 3, 2009

The Aquino Dynasty is about to enter its final phase. Will Noynoy Aquino earn his place in history or squander his parents’ legacy?

If elections were to be held today, these three would receive majority of the votes with Villar claiming the top spot. Yet, unease remains. For despite their overwhelming popularity, they are all still deemend unworthy, particularly by the upper and middle classes who have long sought for a higher standard of leadership.

Hence we run to Noynoy Aquino. He is a man who has neither the resources nor track record of Villar. In yesterday’s press conference, we saw him a world apart from Escudero. And will the Aquino name be enough to shift the masses away from Estrada? What does he really have going for him?

Noynoy Aquino is a virtual unknown in the national stage. To many he is the anti-thesis of the traditional Filipino politician, primarily because of his reluctance and seeming refusal to grab on to power. He is a blank slate upon which people can easily project whatever it is they want to see. All he has to his name is his name. The legacies of Ninoy and Cory Aquino are too powerful for him to simply squander and put to waste, or so many would like to believe. But if indeed, as his sisters attest, Noy maintains clean and incorruptible, will he be able to rally the people to his cause? Will he be able to inspire us to sacrifice for the country because it is the least we can do? That power to summon is part of the Aquino legacy too.

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