The yellow fever

As the Philippines marks the end of the term of the power hungry Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, a new set of leaders will be sworn in to replace the old ones this June 30 2010. Is it de javu everyone? Recalling the people power in Edsa were it put Tita Cory to the presidency. I was just 2 years old at that time. And now his son Noynoy Aquino just recently won the elections.

Well, compared to her mother’s, it was smooth sailing for Noy’s transition to the presidency because the people are becoming more vigilant with the election and are now choosing wisely whom to cast their vote to. But it is not just a victory for the Aquinos but kudos to COMELEC and smartmatic as well for having successfully conducted the first ever automated elections in the Philippines. The fastest one I’ve seen. The crooked and cheaters find it hard to cheat the 2010 automated elections basically because the system is new to them. The Filipinos also made sure that there will be changes this time around.

The question now lies in Noy’s hands. Will he live up to all the expectations and deliver what the people expect him to do so? I for one did not pick him to lead the country because I felt he’s not yet ready. He just rode the aftershock of Cory’s death which led to boosting his popularity and uniting the people like what happened in both EDSA revolutions, and his popularity rose to its heights more than ever which in a way helped him win. But in leading a 3^rd world and a developing country like the Philippines with 90 plus million people in its population, it is not just done by popularity. Being a son of two of the countries greatest icons won’t do the job, basing on his track record in senate which is not that good. Maybe, just maybe his sincerity and honesty helps, I won’t take that away from him. He must first earn every vote that was given to him by showing the people that change can be achieve.

Another issue is that will he favor and bring back the monopoly business ran by his family the Cojuanco’s? Only time will tell. I am hoping though that he is as good as everybody is expecting him to be. Will he prove that he is pro people and country first before family? Will he solve the conflicts of Hacienda Luisita which they say that “even if Noy is the president he is not the strongest voice of his family regarding the decisions for Hacienda Luisita.” In short he can never decide directly without consulting his family because he is not the major stock holder of the Hacienda. I hope he brings immediate closure to that and all the alleged corruption scandal the last administration has been linked.

I guess the so called Cory Magic still hasn’t lost its touch. The yellow fever is everywhere, uniting the country and brought overwhelming votes for Noy to clinch the presidency. The yellow fever goes back in the 80’s, my generation though did not experience it but last year after Tita Cory’s death my generations experience the taste of the yellow fever that fueled Noy’s candidacy. That part is over, but the hardest part has yet to come. Can he do it? Inheriting an ailing nation that needs an overhaul, poverty, unemployment, graft and corruption and education etc. are some of the many problems he would face and try to fix. The yellow fever got him this far but when he sits as president he will be his own man. No Cory Magic or yellow fever would help him.