Beyond petitioning for her sainthood, proclaiming her a national hero, naming major highways, streets and schools after her, how do we, as Filipinos, carry on the mission of President Corazon C. Aquino?
Cory ‘magic’ is alive and well. More than a week after her death, thousands still flock to her grave. Her funeral procession that took about nine hours brought out Filipinos into the streets, chanting her name and creating seas of yellow ribbons, shirts and graffiti.
Beyond magic, there’s spirit. President Cory’s death has become a unifier and a healer of wounds. Bongbong and Imee Marcos summoned enough grace to condole with the Aquino children; Ballsy and other close relatives received them warmly after Kris acknowledged over national TV the sincerity of the Marcoses. Even Erap Estrada whom she helped oust via the People Power route after the breakdown of his impeachment trial hailed her as the greatest postwar Filipino leader. Arch rivals Ateneo and La Salle agreed to honor her memory when they clashed at the UAAP. Militant civil society groups joined the AFP and the PNP during her wake and funeral.
Indeed, no other national leader has proved capable of unifying a broader and deeper rainbow coalition of diverse segments of Philippine society. Who will take on the cudgels of leading this coalition in the post-Cory era? Senator Noynoy Aquino appears to be a natural choice. Immediately after her mother was buried, he has been endorsed for either President or Vice President, but he has simply said, “Thank you, but I’ve not really thought of that yet.”
If we are to truly honor President Cory’s memory and carry on her mission, we should commit ourselves to making our democracy work and strengthening its institutions. First, we must choose our leaders well. Second, we must support the leaders we elect in building a structure of good governance. Third, we must make sure that good governance and its principal elements --- namely, people’s participation and vigilance, transparency, and accountability --- is nurtured and sustained over the long-run.
So who are the leaders who exemplify the Cory spirit? President Cory succeeded in tapping a worthy successor who was eventually elected and also proved to be a capable leader: General Fidel Valdez Ramos. But after he stepped down, the hero of the masa, Joseph Ejercito Estrada was elected by a big margin, especially because 60% of those who voted against him split their votes into at least three candidates.
Now that Mr. Estrada is making a high-profile comeback, it is well worth asking: Is he a worthy carrier or promoter of President Cory’s legacy? With all due respect, I would have to answer this question in the negative. President Estrada had his time; he was elected to the highest office but proved unworthy of the people’s trust. Tinimbang siya, nguni’t kulang. (His worth was assessed, and he was found wanting.)
Who among the present crop of possible presidential candidates is capable of building a structure of good governance?
The President of the Philippines is one of the most powerful sovereign leaders. S/he is clothed with awesome power and authority. Whatever she lacked in administrative experience, President Cory more than made up for it in terms of her integrity: indeed, she was pure of heart. This is why she was a faithful public servant who never flaunted nor abused her power. We should hold our presidential wannabes to high norms of public conduct.
As we look back at the glory days of the Edsa People Power revolt, we lament the fact that many of the people that she tapped to serve during her watch have since built their own dynasties and become latter-day traditional politicians (trapos), not unlike those that served with the Marcos dictatorship. In honoring President Cory, are we willing to denounce and reject them even while they claim to be core members of the yellow brigade?
There are also up-and-coming new-generation politicians who are styling themselves as the Filipino counterparts of US President Barack Obama. Their primary credentials are youth and a fresh image. Do they have sufficient competence --- and more importantly, do they possess the moral strength --- that will enable them to overcome the odds of inexperience stacked up against them? Barack Obama was elected because he was a most credible advocate of change, not being a Washington, D.C. insider like Hillary Clinton or John McCain. Moreover, he won the support of a strong political party that he also led in reclaiming a majority of both houses of Congress and the 50 state governors’ houses.
The ‘Obama wannabes’ in our midst do not have the backing of a strong institution like the Democratic Party. They are simply high-profile celebrities who have achieved name recall through continuous media exposure. Unlike then reluctant candidate Cory Aquino, their aspirations for higher office are not anchored on a strong moral force.
It seems to me that, realistically speaking, we have a few viable options --- and none of them even comes close to President Cory’s sterling qualities. But this should not deter us from making an intelligent choice. Moreover, we should become even more determined that we, as citizens, will henceforth become actively involved in politics and public affairs. We should be more vigilant and watchful. We should never allow those whom we elected to abuse their power or to enrich themselves at the expense of our impoverished and marginalized countrymen.
Like President Cory, we should stand up and be counted. Let our voices be heard over radio, television and newspapers. Let us flood the internet with expressions of affirmation for those who serve well and denunciation of those are unfaithful to public trust. Let us volunteer to serve and share our time and talents in building a stronger democracy in our land. Let us work vigorously and pray hard. Selflessness, faith and courage were President Cory’s three virtues and gifts. Let her be our shining beacon of inspiration.
