Orange clad noynoy

I had previous reservations about Manny Villar. I thought that he's running for the presidency out of sheer madness. Yep. Imagine, you own several properties. You're a certified billionaire already. You got the top plums in the legislature already. What more can you ask for?

Why waste 5 billion pesos just to get elected? Is the presidency worth that much?

For someone like Villar, who came from the ranks of the proletariat, being president is a childhood dream. Several decades ago, most kids in Metro Manila dream of either being a doctor, an astronaut, or...being president someday. Even someone as dirt poor as I was, I once dreamt of being an astronaut or at best, the President of the Republic of the Philippines.

Of course, I did not get to be an astronaut nor the president of this country but I am proud to say that, I got more than what I bargained for---I became a journalist and a teacher.

For Villar, being president is more than any other vocation. Its a mission. A mission to spread his message that anything is possible. That someone as poor as he was before can actually become a billionaire and probably even president someday.

That for me is a better proposition than Noynoy's, who just want to continue a legacy which we are not even aware of today.

And when Villar says that every Filipino can rise above poverty, he is talking from experience. Villar is an incurable optimist and we need someone like him to give us at least some hope that our future, and the future of our children will be as bright as his.

Villar also has the character and the strength of a Leader. Who, in his right mind, would actually get opposing groups together in one political party? Two decades ago, it was unimaginable for a member of the Leftist movement to be seen with a member of the Marcos family. Now, Satur Ocampo, a victim of oppression during the Marcos times, shares the same stage as that of Bongbong Marcos, the son of the dictator. It takes a great Leader to do just that.

And of course, Villar's platform of government deserves our support. It is a very clear platform of government that prescribes real solutions to real problems. Compared with Noynoy's platform, Manny Villar's program of government provides effective solutions.

Now, what is just disturbing is the fact that Manny Villar associated himself with known traditional politicians. He needs to resolve that. And he must assure the public that he will not be swayed by their sweet talk and their billion peso offers.

Barring any major hurdles, Manny Villar will be able to eclipse Noynoy in the polls but the question really is--will he be sworn in as president? Will civil society allow Villar to realize his childhood dream to become president of this country?