NOTE: THIS POSTING is ORIGINALLY POSTED BY: NOAH CABALLERO in ECV FOR PRESIDENT WEB PAGE @Multiply.com
By: Noah P. Caballero
CHANGE… PAGBABAGO… it is seem to be the slogan that every presidential candidatecarries nowadays. By now everybody knows that President Barack Obama used it effectively during his campaign.
But can we really hope for change to come?
Lately, the group Kaya Natin sounded the same tune with Governor Ed Panlilio as their bet for president and Governor Grace Padaca as Vice president. The two governors have yet to give their final nod.
But it must be said that the original concept or call for “PAGBABAGO” was started with the group of Bro. Eddie Villanueva when they launched the Bangon Pilipinas National Renewal Movement sometime in 2003 where Villanueva eventually run as the alternative president during the 2004 election.
The task force that convinced Villanueva to run was even named “Task Force Pagbabago” composed of various personalities.
It can be remembered that four days before the May 10 election, Villanueva’s group stormed the Luneta with a record of 3.5 million people that shouted the cry of “PAGBABAGO!”
The only sad thing about it was that their idealism for change was not turned into votes since many believed that the election was already over three months ahead. There was no way that idealism could win over corruption at that time.
So what Kaya Natin is really doing is nothing new.. Actually what Kaya Natin is doing looks like a copycat of what Bangon Pilipinas had done last 2004.
“Piso-piso Para sa Pagbabago” was the fund-raising strategy of BP while “Piso at Pangalan para sa Pagbabago” is now the theme of Kaya Natin.
Thousands of volunteers came to BP’s wing from various groups and political persuasion in the hope of changing the nation. Political, entertainment, business and religious personalities came together and for the girls- even Piolo Pascual.
People bought and made their own campaign materials, they organized the movement in their town, cities and barangays and invited all sectors to join. It was a mesmerizing picture since no political group at that time could match to the number of people that came to Villanueva’s meeting de avance in the provinces.. It was certainly a threat if not a growing threat.
Many political think tanks believed that if Villanueva had three months more to campaign, he could have nailed the presidency.
Alas, time was only up to May 10 and Garci sealed the deal.
So why is Bro. Eddie the better alternative president? There are at least five reasons.
1. Organizational wise, it shows that he has a national machinery in place that is tested and fueled by volunteerism.
2. Social awareness. He has a better exposure to the ills of the nation and how to address it by being a former intellectual communist and a professor of economics at the then Philippine College of Commerce now Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
3. Proven leadership. He has a track record of running a worldwide organization with productive results. This means strong leadership and managerial skills.
4. People skills. The organization he has speaks for itself and the people in power that highly respects him.
5. Advocacy. He is consistent with his advocacy against corruption and other pressing issues. He has not been bought by the bribes of Malacanang despite GMA coming to his house twice to offer heaven in exchange for his allegiance. That is integrity and yes, this may be the only thing that Among Ed does have an equal footing with Villanueva. Except the point that the pastor had encountered a bigger temptation from the angels of Gloria.
The lists could go all the way to ten but space would be a problem.
If Kaya Natin thinks that Gov. Ed is their right choice because of the fact that he increased the taxes of Pampanga, they might have to think again – running a nation or leadership in general is so much more than that.
The equation of this could be said that if Panlilio can’t solve the problems of Pampanga, how can he run 80 provinces more? If he has difficulty dealing with the so called “corrupt” politicians of Pampanga, try adding the entire population of board members and vice governors of the Philippines. No need to complicate the problem by adding the members of both houses of Congress and the LGU’s.
Even Gov. Ed is still dancing a Cha-cha, going back and forth with his statements while Bro. Eddie have not declined to continue his fight against the evils of this nation.
At the end of the day, this is not about the pastor and the priest that might compete for the highest office of the land, it is about competence and preparedness.
After all, it was Panlilio who spoke about this competence in an interview during the 30thanniversary of Villanueva’s church where he said, “I'm pushing for him (Bro. Eddie) to run because he is most qualified, more competent and he has the expertise and he has righteousness."
That somehow reaffirmed his latest statement when he said, “If there is a more appropriate candidate, why will I present myself? I look at my role now as more of one of the convenors of a genuine reform coalition.”
Panlilio has surely found the more appropriate candidate since last year. He already spoke of it and knows it by heart. We’ll wait for his announcement.
