MANILA—The hundreds of thousands of people who poured out on Manila's streets last week for the funeral of former Philippine president Corazon Aquino signal a huge vote bank for her son, should he run for the presidency.
With none of the potential candidates for the 2010 presidential elections having made any sort of mark yet, Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino has a good chance of winning next year — if he can be persuaded to stand, political analysts say.
"All the present presidential candidates can only offer how much better they can govern over their rivals," wrote columnist William Esposo in The Philippine Star.
"Noynoy brings an ideological factor into the equation — the same ideological factor that enabled a housewife to beat the dictator in 1986."
Corazon Aquino, better known as Cory, was the heroine of the "people power" revolution that overthrew dictator Ferdinand Marcos. She was thrust into the limelight by the assassination of her husband, also Benigno, when he returned from political exile in 1983, and served as president from 1986 to 1992.
On Wednesday, hundreds of thousands of people shouting "Cory, Cory" jammed the streets as her funeral procession passed, weeping and cheering.
The eulogies, where Noynoy made a speech on behalf of the family, were carried live on national television and drew an audience of millions.
The current crop of Philippine leaders, by contrast, lack a mass following. Opposition rallies are tepidly attended, while President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is the least popular leader since Marcos, according to opinion polls.
Esposo said "the phenomenal Cory saga" was launched at her husband's funeral, and sees the same sort of beginning for her only son who is a member of the opposition Liberal party.
Banners supporting him as a presidential candidate have started coming out in towns north of Manila, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported on Sunday.
Personal Decision
The problem is the 48-year-old Noynoy has shown no signs of wanting to contest the presidency. His party, until last week, was leaning toward anointing Manuel Roxas, the grandson of another former president, as its presidential candidate.
"We value consensus and hearing all sides," Noynoy said on Saturday. "But in the end, my running or not starts with my personal decision.
"I do not foresee changing my mind," he added, referring to an earlier decision not to seek higher office at the 2010 election.
Roxas, and three other senators, are among the most-talked of candidates for the presidency next year, along with Vice President Noli de Castro and Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro.
Arroyo is prohibited by law from running for re-election.
Candidacies have to be declared by November for the elections, which will be held in May.
Analysts however said the emotions associated with Cory may not last until May and Noynoy could be well aware of this.
"The elections are still many months away, and the emotions will surely fade away by then," said Earl Parreno at the Institute for Political and Electoral Reforms.
"There was a sincere outpouring for Cory, but I don't know if that could be transferred to Noynoy."
