Soon the circus will leave town and the most entertaining spectacle that visits us every three years will be gone. Nothing but the memories of the tumultuous campaign and the vivid colors—red, pink, blue, and green—that permeated our political landscape will remain. But the jokers and the clown will still be with us and continue to pester our political life. Whatever the outcome, the 2022 presidential election will stand out as the first presidential campaign when the spirit of self-help and volunteerism has reached its pinnacle.
This movement has characterized VP Leni Robredo’s electoral efforts, which have drawn massive support from all sectors. Lacking big individual and corporate sponsors, the private sector and civil society have formed the backbone of VP Leni’s political organization that deployed their own resources and logistics to support VP Leni’s bid. Compared to BBM, VP Leni does not enjoy the endorsement of prominent and big-name political and business leaders. No marquee names in politics in the category of former President Erap Estrada, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, including President Rodrigo R. Duterte who pitches for his daughter, the PDP-Laban and other personally favored candidates, have surfaced to promote her candidacy. The Villars, Enriles, Garcias of Cebu, Remullas of Cavite, Dys-Albanos of Isabela, Zubiris of Bukidnon, Mandanas of Batangas, Ortegas of La Union, Singsons of Ilocos Sur, and most political kingpins in the regions have lined up to join her principal opponent’s camp. It’s only recently when prominent local political leaders have declared their support to boost VP Leni’s campaign. Notable among them are Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez of Davao, Rep. Joey Salceda, Rep. Elpi Barzaga, Governor Ben Evardone, Gov. Daniel Fernando, Rep. Mujiv Hataman, Rep. Toto Mangudadatu, Rep. Johnny Pimentel and other bigwigs in local politics. VP Leni’s core support are volunteers consisting of youth groups, cooperatives and NGOs, professional groups such as the doctors, lawyers, teachers, health workers, students, faculty and alumni groups, farmers and fisherfolks, actors and artists, priests and other religious groups and many others, which form her grand coalition. They organize rallies and caravans, conduct house-to-house campaigns, prepare campaign materials, print tarpaulins and posters, cook food for rally participants, perform and speak at meetings, provide transportation and many other invaluable contributions without costs to VP Leni’s campaign. Recently, the Ikaw Muna Pilipinas, Makabayan bloc, BARMM and the United Bangsamoro Justice Party, the political arm of the MILF, have boosted her machinery.
VP Leni’s partisans don’t seem to mind what others claim to be a clear writing on the wall. Bongbong Marcos has taken the lead from the start of the game. It’s now the last quarter and Marcos, Jr.’s numbers appear insurmountable. He has not given up the pole position and his lead has not even narrowed down. Short of a major debacle, BBM is set to win the race hands down if the survey holds true. But amazingly, VP Leni and her supporters have not given up the ghost. They continue to comb every town and cities, including the hinterlands. Her indefatigable campaigners crisscross the country hoping to convert every unbeliever to VP Leni’s cause. They endure the hecklers and the hostile crowds. They ask the voters for their votes knowing that every voter wants to be asked. Performers at the rallies volunteer their services for free and are willing to go to far-flung places to generate a big crowd and talk to more people. Her social media team is working double-time to reach more people and convince them that VP Leni is the best “man” for the job. The “Angat Lahat” Team knows that they are playing catch up. In fact, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez who is endorsing VP Leni has admonished her supporters “to double their efforts” if they want to win this coming election, and reminded them that time is fast running out. VP Leni and her team should be able to convert their mammoth rallies into votes on May 9. Easily they can bring in hundreds of thousands of participants to their political meetings. These are not the ordinary “hakot” crowds who showed up at the rally in exchange for a fee or consideration. The “kakampinks” brave the heat and the rain to demonstrate their allegiance to VP Leni. They even prepare their own placards, buy their own T-shirts, and prepare their own food, which they even gladly share with others. It’s all done in the true spirit of volunteerism—all for VP Leni. It’s not only an electoral effort but it has become a movement. We had seen it last during the Cory campaign when the fearless lady challenged the Marcos dictatorship during the 1986 snap presidential election. But that was an interesting time in our history when extraordinary circumstances warranted unusual responses.
How do we explain this phenomenon in 2022? What could have brought their unparalleled optimism, their unsurpassed determination, and their unequal self-reliance? I cannot answer and describe it. The movement has taken a life of its own. I hope this will not be unique only during this presidential election. It’s definitely a positive development that demonstrates our growing political maturity. This may result in less reliance on money and personality politics, which has bedeviled our electoral process. We may see the birth of a new politics based on principles and issues where a poor but competent, courageous and honest candidate can win an elective post. Win or lose, this will be VP Leni’s legacy. It’s the “audacity of hope,” if I may borrow from the title of a NY bestseller book written by US President Obama before he was elected president. Let me lift a passage from his book to describe VP Leni’s movement:
“The audacity of hope. That was the best American spirit, I thought —having the audacity to believe despite all the evidence to the contrary that we could restore a sense of community to a nation torn by conflict; the gall to believe that despite personal setbacks, the loss of a job or an illness in the family or a childhood mired in poverty, we had some control…over our own fate. It was that audacity…that joined us as one people. It was that pervasive spirit of hope that tied my own family’s story to the larger American story, and my own story to those of the voters I sought to represent.” VP Leni’s audacity connects her to the Filipino voters and it will be her passport to Malacañang.
We should give due credit to VP Leni and her campaign team for their indomitable courage and undiminished hope to achieve victory despite tremendous odds.