Babe's Eye View article

“For every tear a victory.” This was the book written by Hartzell Spence about the story of Ferdinand Marcos. Paradoxically for the Aquino family, their story could be entitled “For every death a victory.”

Tragic and painful as they may have been, the losses experienced by the Aquinos were transformed into historic triumphs and victories. The tragic assassination of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. in August 1983 proved to be the final blow that spelled the end of the Marcos regime. What Ninoy could not accomplish in life, he achieved in death, his martyrdom stoking the people’s anger already simmering at the time.

In hindsight, who would have thought that a simple housewife like Cory Aquino would become president of the Philippines? Even people close to the Aquinos especially when they were in Boston never thought Ninoy’s widow would turn into a rallying figure for the opposition. After all, Cory was happy to remain in the background, never joining any political discussion whatsoever. Yet the strong clamor from the people in 1985 transformed a reluctant candidate into a revered icon of democracy.

Today, almost 27 years after Ninoy’s death, it seems that his son and namesake, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III is about to become the next president, poised to write a new chapter in our history. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Cory’s death made her son into a rallying figure against a backdrop of outrage directed at an unpopular administration. Before the death of his mother on August 1, 2009, Noynoy was never on the radar, so to speak, similar to Cory before 1986. Now more than ever, it would appear that the presidency is indeed a “destiny.” Save for any dramatic, last minute development, all indications point to Noynoy becoming the 15th president of the Republic of the Philippines.

Although some 42 percent of voters will probably be casting their lot with him (going by the latest SWS survey result), the burden on Noynoy would be so much heavier as compared to Manny Villar, Joseph Estrada or even Gilbert Teodoro if they won. One thing for sure—the people will measure him up because of the sacrifices made by his parents and their death. And considering the sympathy they showed his family, they expect a lot more from him. Many Filipinos will be depending on him and perhaps even expecting him to pull off a miracle to turn a country that has been consistently divided, always poised to take off but never quite making it—compounded by a population that keeps growing by leaps and bounds.

The circumstances in 1986 are completely different from today. The population then was estimated at 55 million—a little more than half the 94 million Filipinos we have today, with some 40 percent living below the poverty line. Noynoy’s campaign was anchored on the promise of change and the vow to fight poverty by eradicating corruption—and people expect no less than for him to make good on that campaign promise. Filipinos have waited too long for somebody who can save them from the vicious cycle of high hopes, only to be followed by frustration, and then despair.

There has been a lot of debate about what problems should be prioritized, but the establishment of a clear-cut population management policy would be a good beginning. In 1965, the Philippines and Thailand had the same population. Today, Thailand’s population is estimated at a much lower 63.7 million—because they were able to curb the population growth rate at below 1 percent. Experts admit that an unmitigated population growth rate of 2.3 percent is very high for a third world country—a consequence of which is the continuing difficulty for the Philippines’ economic growth rate to ever catch up.

One of the things I liked hearing from Noynoy Aquino was his unwavering support for the Reproductive Health bill. He hit it right on the nose by saying “we have a population problem,” remaining firm in his stand that parents must have informed choices regarding contraception, and that government health centers should make contraceptives available to couples. Though his stand on the RH bill may not be popular with the Catholic hierarchy, Noynoy would rather heed his conscience, believing that parents should be responsible for the needs of their children—who deserve an opportunity to lead better lives.

No one can argue that far too many children are dying of hunger, malnutrition, asthma, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases due to pollution. According to 2009 statistics, 4,500 Filipina women die every year due to complications in childbirth such as hemorrhage, sepsis, hypertension and infections due to abortion—all of which could be prevented. In the UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children 2009 Report, it says the Philippines is among 68 countries that contributed to the 97 percent of total maternal, neonatal and child deaths worldwide.

If a new government that owes no one its power—except from the people who voted them in—will have the political will to implement a comprehensive population management policy, then I have no doubt there is indeed a ray of hope for this country. But at the end of the day, only Noynoy—and he alone—will have to carry the heavy burden of delivering the promises he made. He cannot depend on his advisers to make the very hard decisions that will come his way in the next six years.

Ninoy Aquino made his famous stand—“The Filipino is worth dying for.” But for Noynoy, it is now his turn to “save the Filipino from dying” because of the “4 Ps” that continue to plague this country—Poverty, Population, Pollution and too much Politics.