Noynoy

If bland was the impression people had of Noynoy, sister Kris confirmed it when she offered—no, insisted is the word!— her brother a grand makeover. But it will take more than that if Noynoy would really want to win the presidency.
Noynoy is best known as the only son of Cory and Ninoy, and twice as representative of second district of Tarlac. He would vault into the presidency as a neophyte senator who gained his place as Liberal Party’s standard bearer only after Cory’s death.
It was Cory’s death, and the long funeral march that followed, when thousands of people lined up the streets, not just to express their loss and sympathize with the Aquino family, but also to show disgust over the way Philippine politics and governance have become, that bolstered Noynoy’s name.
Noynoy never really mattered in national politics when Cory was the unofficial conscience of the nation, although there were times when she faltered, too.
Noynoy followed wherever Cory went, providing her strength with a shadow that merely echoed, if not directly mimicked, her decisions. His votes and actions as a congressman, as we have seen in his support of two impeachment complaints in the 12th and 13th Congress, the first against Erap and the next against Gloria, would have been Cory’s votes if she were in his place.
Noynoy’s greatest challenge is stepping out of that shadow and become his own man. Malacanang, for a change, is right on this.
On his own, Noynoy seems a fine, simple man. He is said to enjoy billiards and shooting, two sports erstwhile thought to be within the confines of macho men. He was linked to some of the most beautiful faces of show business—Korina Sanchez, Bernadette Sembrano and Diana Zubiri. But he cannot seem to escape the shadow of his family, great historical families, actually, that he is also best known as Kris’ older brother until now.
Who could blame Kris? Even Ninoy was reduced to only being known as her father!
Kris has become the most famous of the Cojuangco and Aquino bloodlines. Hers is one of the most recognizable faces in show business, and it would be a plus for Noynoy’s candidacy, especially when he starts campaigning in areas where show business figures are looked up with admiration and politicians are looked down with a deadly concoction of contempt, hatred and envy.
A corporate survey last year showed Kris as the most trusted brand endorser until Dionisia Pacquiao came along. Yet, it would still help bolster Noynoy’s candidacy, Pacmom or not.
But Noynoy’s shoulder must be feeling the weight of his decision to run for the presidency even this early.
Some view Noynoy as the catalyst for the long-awaited change in Philippine politics, in the manner we have viewed Cory when she sought to replace the late strongman Marcos in 1986.
Noynoy, however, would not be compared to the president he would succeed, but with his mother whom he would replace as the nation’s anchor to hold the nation after a great storm, or tsunami… or maybe we should it a great devastation.
Or maybe Noynoy would also become like his mother who showed promise at the height of her campaign against Marcos, but had become a big letdown to many when she failed to meet people’s expectations (too much, maybe, given the opportunities of the time), beginning with her decision to honor the Marcos debts, which did not benefit the people, really.
Noynoy, of course, is not his parents’ second chance. If he becomes his own man, as Gloria’s clique had demanded of him, then a repeat of Cory’s magic is imminent.
Noynoy is promising change, as other declared candidates for the presidency did. But if we could only stop romanticizing history and begin scrutinizing these candidates, then we would realize what little choice we have to bring that change.