Presidential Aspirant, Nicanor Perlas, Encourages Noynoy to Join New Politics
“I will not renounce my intention to run as a presidential candidate in 2010” said Nicanor Perlas,one of the presidential aspirants representing new politics.In response to requests from media and friends, Nicanor Perlas, issued a statement today to clarify his position on calls for Senator Noynoy Aquino to run as presidential candidate in 2010.
“Instead, I encourage Noynoy Aquino to resign from the Liberal Party, run as an independent presidential candidate, and join the on-going conversation and unification efforts among non-traditional presidential aspirants, political parties and movements. The Liberal Party, as a whole, is a traditional political party. Even if there are non-traditional politicians within it, they does not represent the interest of millions longing for new politics. A Noynoy candidacy within the Liberal Party will suppress the massive longing for a new politics”, Perlas explained.
Perlas cited eight (8) reasons why Noynoy Aquino will weaken new politics if he runs as presidential candidate within the Liberal Party. Noynoy Aquino will:
- Reinforce the limited usefulness of uniting against something instead of for something as has happened in the case of People Power I in 1986 and People Power II in 2001;
- Suppress the emergence of a peoples’ agenda and selection process;
- Strengthen personality-based politics;
- Send mixed signals regarding political dynasties;
- Break the link between inner and societal change;
- Remove the necessity of a cultural revolution;
- Favor the “winnability virus” over character, track record, and vision, in a situation where millions are longing for genuine change and where qualified leaders, without money and machinery, can win with the support of the people;
- Misinterpret the meaning of the Ninoy/Cory heritage.
Perlas gave a detailed elaboration of his perspective in a blog article entitled, “Noynoy: Enabler or Suppressor of the New Politics?” which he posted in www.nicanorperlas.com.
Perlas described the “winnability virus” as an unhealthy focus on and preference for name recall, money, and machinery over the new politics of genuine participation, vision, strategic agenda and a qualified proven leadership willing to advance that co-created vision and agenda.
Perlas believes that new politics will win in 2010. “Once the visionary agenda and qualified leadership are in place, proponents of the new politics will organize to make sure that their candidates will win. They will find ways and means to ensure that their candidate gets the necessary support, organization, and national exposure, among others, to win in the national elections”, Perlas explained.
Perlas challenged Noynoy to use his newly minted national stature to advance the cause of the new politics, both in terms of substance and process. “I call on Noynoy to join the open process of determining who would be the best new politics candidate for president in the 2010 national elections. It is open in the sense that, at the end of the day, Noynoy himself may or may not be that presidential candidate. Yet he would still be able to bring energy to the pursuit of the new politics by supporting whoever will emerge as the presidential candidate of a unified movement for a new politics.”
Perlas concluded: “The Noynoy event provides us with one of the most potent challenge of discerning what new politics really means in theory and practice. For in the end, hindi isang tao lamang kundi tayong lahat ang magbabago ng Pilipinas. (Not one person, but only unified involvement of citizens will renew the country.) Our future as a nation will depend on it.”
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