Noynoy heeds call to run
Says he’ll fight for reforms;campaign fund drive starts
BY JP LOPEZ
SEN. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III yesterday declared he will run for president in May next year, accepting what he said was the “plea of a nation” and the “instructions of his parents,” former President Cory Aquino and the assassinated former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.
The 49-year-old Aquino announced his acceptance of the Liberal Party draft at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, where 23 years ago his mother took her oath as the country’s first woman president.
Aquino, who was accompanied by his four sisters and other relatives, vowed to continue the fight for genuine reforms started by his parents.
The Aquino siblings all wore black as yesterday was the 40th day of the passing of Cory Aquino. Most of the audience wore yellow, the color associated with the Aquino parents.
“Tinatanggap ko ang hiling ng sambayanan. Tinatanggap ko na rin po ang bilin, habilin at tagubilin ng aking mga magulang. Tinatanggap ko ang responsibilidad na ituloy ang laban para sa bayan. Tinatanggap ko ang hamong mamuno sa labang ito. Bayang Pilipinas, tatakbo po ako sa pagka-pangulo sa darating na halalan,” Aquino said as he spoke for 10 minutes before a cheering crowd of LP partisans, opposition leaders and representatives from civil society and non-government organizations.
Aquino offered the vice presidential slot to fellow LP senator Mar Roxas who 10 days ago gave up his presidential bid for Aquino.
Roxas has yet to accept the offer to accept the offer but said he will decide next week.
“Talagang kakaiba ang ginawa ni Mar Roxas, lalo na kung ikukumpara natin sa mga pinuno ng ating bansa. Sarili nila ang kanilang inuuna,” Noynoy said.
An economics graduate, the young Aquino was a three-term congressman of Tarlac from 1998 and was elected senator in 2007.
He is a bachelor and the only son.
His father was murdered at the airport 26 years ago upon returning from self-exile in the US while Cory died last August 1 of colon cancer.
The burial of both saw mammoth crowds. Chants for Noynoy to run for president started during the August 5 funeral march for Cory Aquino.
“Doon po sa kanyang burol, doon po sa kanyang libing, pinakita natin na walang kaduda-duda na talagang nagnananais ng muli ang ating bayan na maibalik na ang ganap na demokrasya at tunay na kalayaan,” the young Aquino said.
Asked why Noynoy made announcement on the 40th day of Cory’s death, Noynoy’s eldest sister Ballsy said: “Sabi naming magkakapatid, Noy sige na. Napag-isipan mo na, nagdasal ka na at lahat tayo nagdasal. At ang ating mga kaibigan na talagang mahal ang bayan ay sinabing huwag na nating patagalin.”
Aquino’s emergence as LP bet for 2010 skirted the usual convention, but many LPs apparently yielded to the choice. After Roxas withdrew from the presidential race, other wannabes like Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca and Sen. Francis Pangilinan withdrew from the presidential and vice presidential race to support Aquino.
Noynoy also said that among the possible LP senatorial candidates are former Senate President Franklin Drilon, Muntinlupa Rep. Rufino Biazon, son of Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, Anakbayan partylist Rep. Riza Hontiveros, and former Rep. Nereus Acosta, who was the master of ceremonies at Club Filipino.
Because he said he lacked funds to run his presidential campaign, Aquino said he will stage a people’s campaign, not the traditional campaign.
“Ang taongbayan po ang magpapatakbo ng kampanyang ito.”
Acosta then announced that a movement called “Piso-Piso para kay Noynoy” has been rolling in many parts of the country to raise campaign funds.At the press conference that followed his 10-minute declaration, Aquino gave a preview of several policy issues he would tackle.
To solve the problem in Mindanao problem, Aquino said he would push for more dialogues between parties.
“There is a need for more dialogue, the setting up of a baseline where we can communicate with each other. If the current intermediaries are not enough, we will find better intermediaries,” he said.
Noynoy added that peace talks should continue because “when we stop talking, it becomes war, war, war.”
He criticized what he said was the “tradition” of having a poor educational system.
Others present at the jam-packed Kalayaan Hall were Liberal Party members Roxas, Pangilinan, Drilon, Quezon Representative Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III, former congressmen Florencio “Butch” Abad and Acosta, singer-composer Jim Paredes, former defense secretary Avelino Cruz, and Leah Navarro of the Black and White Movement, businessman Jose Cuisia, running priest Fr. Robert Reyes, and Cecille Guidote Alvarez.
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