Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Cojuangco Aquino III’s comprehensive victory in last Monday’s elections underlines a most salient reality: he is expected by his countrymen to govern and lead as the President of all Filipinos.
He won in 13 out of 17 regions, across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. He was also the top choice of Filipinos across all economic classes and age groups. He is poised to claim the largest number of votes for a winning President and a commanding margin over his nearest rival. Only Ramon Magsaysay’s record of getting more than 60 per cent of the vote stood in the aftermath of Noynoy Aquino’s yellow force surge.
Unlike Fidel Ramos who needed to reach out and appeal for support from his erstwhile rivals, Noynoy’s victory was quickly conceded by his opponents, thanks to the wonders of automated elections. Unlike Joseph Estrada who did not enjoy the enthusiastic support of the country’s elite, Noynoy was the clear choice of the business and economic leaders from the onset.
Although he eventually emerged as their leading candidate, Noynoy did not fare as well with the younger voters (from 18-24 years old and from 25 to 44 years old), as he did with their parents and elders. The rock-solid core of Noynoy’s electoral support came from the voters who were at least 45 years old or those who were about 21 years old during the EDSA People Power revolt.
Despite our worst fears, the first automated elections brought about a quick resolution of the foremost issue: who will be the next President of the Philippines? The quick concession made by Noynoy’s rivals removed any residual anxiety or tension. Indeed, their magnanimous gesture has hastened the process of healing and reconciliation.
But many are still incredulous, yet exceedingly thankful, that despite the daylong agony suffered by voters due to the gross inefficiency of the voting process implemented by Comelec-Smartmatic, the instant electronic transmission of precinct-level results brought about a quick confirmation of the anticipated Aquino landslide. Many Filipinos went to sleep by midnight of May 10 knowing well assured that their choice of President was reflected in the reported results.
Former Pangasinan Governor Rafael Colet, one of the first OIC-governors appointed by President Corazon Aquino and an ardent Noynoy campaigner believes that this phenomenon is “the first miracle of Cory”. This theme is an echo of journalist Conrado de Quiros’s thesis that this was a replay of “EDSA People Power masquerading as an election.”
Long-suffering Filipinos expressed their repudiation of a much-despised President who made a mockery of the People Power exercise that brought her to power, and who, on account of her own admission at the height of the ‘Hello Garci’ scandal that broke out in 2005, gave credence to massive doubts about the legitimacy of her presidency.
After Cory Aquino’s death, millions of Filipinos reclaimed their sense of dignity. Noynoy’s candidacy provided a clear channel for reasserting their sense of destiny. They were willing to re-tread the path of truth and rectitude, which was the only road to authentic national redemption.
Contrary to critics’ and cynics’ claims that it was wrong and politically perilous to frame the election as a contest between good and evil, that turned out to be the deeply-embedded sentiment of millions of Filipinos. It was time to weed out and turn back the evil and corrupt; it was time to install an honest and trustworthy President.
Beyond leadership ability and managerial competence, Filipinos yearned for a return to decency and good government. This was not the time for towering intelligence or street-smart tactics for crashing into Forbes’ roster of the richest. This was the time for honesty, simplicity and for affirming all the core values that parents teach their children.
How then does the new leader translate his mandate into a program of governance?
The first imperative is to manage the transition from a people’s campaign to a people’s government. Unlike his mother whose single-focus platform was simply to oust a dictatorship and restore the institutions and practices of democracy, Noynoy Aquino is well poised to implement a more comprehensive platform of transformational leadership.
He has no major political debts to pay; his people’s campaign had no big-ticket contributors. From the outset he made it clear that campaign contributions would be accepted only on the basis of no strings attached.
In a people’s government, the citizens (the erstwhile volunteers) are major stakeholders. They must remain actively involved in the mainstream of the political process and not as mere bystanders or peanut-gallery critics.
Secondly, the next President needs to focus on his primary leadership role as Chief Executive. The Office of the President must operate like a Chief Executive’s Office, a strong and active center, not just a passive recipient of inputs and recommendations, nor simply a coordinator of national government programs, or a mere convener of Cabinet meetings.
As Chief Executive, the President shall proactively provide strategic policy direction. Hence, the Office of the President must synthesize, unify and orchestrate policy formulation and implementation. In some countries, the President or Prime Minister has designated coordinating ministers who act like senior vice presidents in charge of major corporate functions or businesses.
Similarly, the President may wish to organize his Cabinet into action teams for the following key areas: socio-economic policy, revenue and fiscal management (NEDA, Finance, government financial institutions); public infrastructure and technology (public works, transportation and communications, science and technology, tourism); justice system and law enforcement; national security and international affairs (national defense, foreign affairs); social development, welfare and poverty eradication; natural resources, energy and environment.
Thirdly, the President needs to reach out and work harmoniously with Congress. He can build on the tremendous political capital conferred by his landslide victory and seek the support of at least a majority of representatives.
Fourthly, to broaden and strengthen his support base at the grassroots level, he needs to enlist the active participation of governors, mayors and local government officials.
Finally, he is expected to turn the image of government around by ensuring accountability and transparency which are the twin pillars of good governance.
One thing going for incoming President Noynoy is his power to inspire through example. I have heard stories of how heretofore undecided or reluctant voters got up and brought themselves to the polling centers and cast their vote for him as President. And this was because they saw on TV how he waited in line for more than four hours and patiently endured the heat, the long queue, and the breakdown of the PCOS machine, and emerged from it all with a smile on his face.
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