Episode 4

‘New Hope’ – that’s the title of Episode 4 of the Star Wars saga, the first of nine films. It also serves to describes the surge of optimism felt by Filipinos when Vice President Leni Robredo declared she is running for president in next year’s polls.

Amidst a mediocre batch of presidentiables – both serious and comedic – VP Leni is largely recognized as the face of the true opposition who represents the growing discontent with the current administration’s insensitive, brutal and pretentious style of management.

VP Leni – unlike Tita Cory who was a widower when she won in 1986 – when she failed to unify other contenders to a single slate, now presents herself as the alternative to effect meaningful change.

Facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles – lack of machinery, funds and nationwide network – she is relying on volunteer supporters who worked silently to help her in her programs the past five years she has been VP.

Less than 48 hours after filing her certificate of candidacy, she was already attacked by fellow presidential aspirant, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, who betrayed his true color by lambasting Leni’s disdain for a possible return of another Marcos to Malacanang.

More mudslinging are expected when the actual campaign period starts. Bongbong Marcos promised not to criticize his opponents. But during his filing of COC, his supporters tapped into the NDRRMC’s emergency alert system to send out a text campaigning for Bongbong. We should expect more nefarious tactics.

Other presidential hopefuls – Manny Pacquiao, Ping Lacson, even Ronaldo Bato dela Rosa – cannot convincingly represent the opposition. Of course, they will all mouth the perennial promise: “para sa bayan”.

Sadly, with pandemic funds paying an army of trolls, Filipinos are more than polarized. We are wedged into various divisions. Friends ‘unfriending’ friends. One is for Bongbong. Another for Yorme or Ping or Manny.

As one FB pundit posted: one is the son of a dictator, another the ‘son’ of Kuya Germs, another the son of Aling Dionisia.

Leni does not belong to a political dynasty. She was challenged, sharpened, bullied when she worked as VP.

Even the spontaneous use of pink was belittled by Yorme. Yet, the pink army is beginning to awaken. Leni has no funds to mobilize social media trolls.

Remember the office of PCOO of Malacanang – it asked for additional budget for 2022 to hire a thousand ‘consultants’ – translation: troll army.

Malacanang’s unofficial troll army will push for Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go – clearly subservient to Pres. Digong – until Mayor Inday Sara is convinced (if not threatened) to substitute for Bato as presidential candidate, just like what Digong did in 2016. Something will happen to PDP-Laban’s official standard-bearers before the polls next year.

Duterte supporters are already divided. Not all of them will vote for Bato in exchange for P500 or P1K. Many will go for Manny or Ping, even without the bribe. Those who will vote for Bongbong are young, ignorant of the horrors of Martial Law. They are the target audience of historical revisionism. They were led to believe the country’s Golden Years were under Marcos.

Many of today’s senior citizens represent the last generation of Filipinos who personally experienced Martial Law and People Power 1. If history is successfully rewritten, we are bound to repeat our mistakes.

Leni will be tagged ‘bobo’, ‘utak lugaw’ and many more. Only Ping Lacson probably has the mental acuity of Leni among the presidentiables. Manny has all the sincerity but not the mental prowess. Bato is a fall-guy. Yorme is a fake opposition.

Only one of them has nationwide name-recall – Manny.

Let’s hope the working, middle-class can mobilize to help bring Leni to Malacanang. She has the brains and the heart.