Genuine leadership for our nation

Why have other nations in the region succeeded in ending poverty and raising the quality of life of their people? Why have they reached developed nation status while we have lagged behind? 

A major factor is the quality of the leadership and governance. While their leaders have placed the interest of the nation above their own, a menacing number of our own leaders, on the other hand, care little about the nation and our people and care more about expanding their own wealth and power.

For these power hungry and overly ambitious and corrupt politicians, the nation can go to hell for all they care. Do we allow these crooked politicians to decide where to bring our nation? Do we simply watch idly by as they bring our nation to hell? Will we simply watch and allow them to decide the nation's future? No we cannot. No we will not! For the sake of our children, we must do what we can and together with other like minded individuals and groups, we must help chart the course of the nation.

If we are to reach developed nation status in 15 years, we must ensure that the agenda of reform advocated by leaders with integrity, simplicity and selflessness continues and we can only do this if we elect leaders both in the national and local level who serve with integrity, ability and selflessness.

We must look ahead to the next decade and a half if we are to truly transform the nation and for us to do so, we must endeavor to ensure that the reforms and policy initiatives of the last 3 years will continue and be sustained so as to achieve continuity, stability and certainty in governance. This is critical if progress is to be realized. We must be able to look far ahead as we act from day to day.

Today, we must elect more leaders in the mold of our friend and ally, the late Sec. Jesse Robredo and after having elected them into office, we, as a people, must continue to engage our leaders and demand of them the kind of leadership we all aspire for in order to finally have a nation that is progressive, peaceful and focused on the welfare of its people, a nation that we all can be proud of.

May 13 is about where we wish to bring our nation. It is about doing our share to shape the kind of nation our children ought to have and deserve. Let us vote to continue to forge ahead in our tireless effort to achieve genuine change for our nation and our people.

On Bam Aquino's senatorial bid

We welcome the forthcoming senatorial bid of Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, a former student and youth leader who is best known for his advocacy in providing microfinance opportunities to women through the social enterprise Hapinoy, an organization that provides business coaching, leadership training, store branding, and other support services to a network of over 10,000 sari-sari stores all over the Philippines.

We welcome Bam's decision to seek a senate post, and we will support his bid. His credentials are outstanding. If he wins, he will probably be the first summa cum laude graduate in the Senate.

His having been a student and youth leader is a big plus. He will be the voice of the youth in the upper chamber.

Nearly ninety percent of the voters are below fifty years of age; we need youthful leaders in the Senate who will represent the next generation of Filipinos who hunger for progress and genuine change.

Sen. Koko is welcome to join LP coalition

Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III is welcome to join the Liberal Party coalition should he decide to seek a new political home.

Koko is welcome to become a candidate for the LP coalition if he is in search of an alternative to the UNA line-up. He will be more than welcome to the ticket and, should he decide to affiliate himself with us, I am willing to help him do so and persuade the leadership of the party and the coalition to include him in the ticket.

Stay true to reform agenda, include fresh blood in 2013 slate

We challenge our partymates to “stay true to the reform agenda” set by the Aquino administration and include fresh names in the 2013 slate to “challenge ‘trapo’ politics and give progressive candidates a chance to serve the country.

We dared to rock the vote and create change in 2010 when we joined the people’s clamor to support President Aquino—who then wasn’t even a contender for the presidency. We were bold and confident that change can happen if we, the people, make it happen. Huwag na sana tayo makisali sa trapong paraan ng pamumulitika. Sayang lang ang pagbabagong nasimulan natin kung babalik rin pala tayo sa dating gawi.

The only way for us to realize long-term change is if we stay consistently on the path of reform. It has been a long, often-uphill battle but we have already begun to realize it. Let’s continue pushing the envelope and raising the bar, so to speak, and give the people new and better choices for the national elections.

We need fresh faces; the LP should strive to give our people more choices. The LP should look to the private sector, the NGO community, and the LGUs where there are rising stars and recruit the best, the brightest, and the most deserving.

A new generation of progressive reformists is well-poised to take on national roles if given the opportunity to do so. Among them are Quezon representative Erin Tañada, former Akbayan representative Risa Hontiveros, former Isabela governor Grace Padaca, and multi-awarded social entrepreneur Bam Aquino.

We urge our partymates to continue rocking the vote as we did in 2010. We still have a long way to go until reforms are fully realized—but with courage, conviction, and with our courage, conviction, and principles and values intact, we believe that we can win people’s support for change to continue to happen.

We need to give way to a new generation of leaders and show people the way.