The victory of Barack Obama as the first African-American President has been touted by almost all news organizations as a major historic event. Time Magazine even called it the “rewriting of the book”, referring to how Obama changed American Politics.
But that change didn’t come easily as Barack Obama was forced to tackle every hurdle, from political mudslinging to questions about his credentials and his capacity to lead. But through his handling he has, in effect, redefined politics by making waves in the global arena according to United Press International (UPI) Columnist Mong Palatino.
In his column Peripheries, Palatino said that, “Obama can be made to be an icon of the minorities battling an oppressive status quo. He has already created ripples in the global political pond. His victory was not only welcomed around the world, it also led many people to reflect about the political conditions in their countries.”
As if reaffirmed by time, his statement found resonance here in the country. Mayor Jejomar Binay of Makati City has declared his intentions to run for the Presidency in 2010. His supporters were reported to carry banners which stated “Obama of the Philippines.” And just recently, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro announced his ambitions for the highest office in the land. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita even compared his age and good looks with the American President.
In another article published in UPI Asia’s website Palatino attributed this phenomenon to our colonial thinking.
“Everybody wants to be like Obama, especially in the Philippines, where the American colonial legacy remains very strong.” Palatino said.
Many are expecting that Obama’s victory would also change Philippine Politics in the way that it “rewrote the book” of American politics.
The Times has interviewed four individuals from broad spectrums of the Political scene, from an academic to a Civic Society Leader to a politician and an American Democrat based in the Philippines, to gauge the possible effects of the Obama victory in Philippine Politics.
Kaya Natin! Weighs In
Harvey Keh of Kaya Natin! said that Obama’s victory greatly affects the perception of the Filipino youth, because he represents change and that they may look for this in the 2010 elections.
“When the Filipino youth saw this they said, so it’s possible, it’s possible to elect a leader in the States that is young, not equipped with the machinery, decent and who resembles change. A lot of young people are looking at that [Obama’s victory] and says that how I wish we could also do that, elect a leader who stands for change.” Keh said.
Keh also added that a lot of Filipinos are aspiring to see elections that are conducted cleaner and faster. The fact that the US Election was done in that manner makes many Filipinos question why we can’t do it in the same way.
Keh also notes how Obama used the power of technology and how it can be used in the political campaigns leading to 2010.
“I know that some candidates are exploring the use of social networking sites, even if you go to Facebook or Friendster, a number of our candidates have accounts, because that’s the way you reach the young people.”
He also noticed that many presidential candidates are christening themselves as the “Obama of the Philippines,” but sees none of them that can live up to the promise of change. He said that many “agents of change” are out of the running to be the next Philippine President.
“I can see some [reform candidates] who are not presidentiables like Jesse Robredo of Naga, Among Ed Panlilio of Pampanga, and Grace Padaca of Isabela, those, I think represent change.” He noted.
Keh added that we might see some of Obama’s campaign strategy being used in the 2010 presidential campaign. Citing the Filipino’s need to see personal touch to a campaign, some politicians may start to use the internet and text messaging to reach a broader electoral base.
“The more personal a candidate becomes, the more the Filipino will associate with the candidate, the better for the candidate.” Keh said.
Campaign speeches that would focus on the issues like those utilized by Obama would also be important according to Keh. Saying that 2009 would be a difficult year for the Philippines because of the global economic crisis, and that many Filipinos would be stricken hard, he believes that many people, come 2010, would look for specific plans that would tackle the problem and alleviate the people’s sufferings.
Finally, Keh noted that we must inspire a “voter’s revolution” by having the right people that has the right message. According to him this would be the only way that the Filipino people could bring an “agent of change” to Malcañang.
American Perspective
Lisa Kircher-Lumbao, Vice Chairman of Democrats Abroad-Philippines believes that the Obama campaign strategy can be applied in the Philippines, but it would be difficult.
“I have lived here for 16 ½ years and I have seen how election and politics work here, and applying it [Obama’s strategy] would be extremely difficult, given the politics here in this country. But I think there is an opportunity for a candidate to try and do some of the things that Barack Obama did, how successful that person would be is another question.”
Lumbao also said that it would be hard to find a candidate with the same charisma as Obama and that integrity is an issue among Filipino politicians. She also noted that Filipinos view elections as a choice between two evils, and that Obama addressed this problem by being transparent about his associations and distancing himself from lobbyists.
According to Lumbao, Obama attracted both large and small donors because of his integrity. She added that it would be difficult for the public to fund a candidate here in our country because of established political practices.
She also noted that a candidate who plans to engage voters through the internet would appeal to the youth and higher classes of society. But she cited the fact that elections in the country are decided by classes C and D, or the lower class, she surmised that for a candidate to succeed he must devise an entirely new strategy.
Adapting Obama’s campaign strategy would be smart, according to Lumbao. The use of text messages would be a big plus for any candidate. Pointing to its practicality, text messaging would be a potent tool in the 2010, connecting community organizers, supporters and the candidate himself.
Even though she believes that it would be difficult to bring an unlikely candidate like Barack Obama, she still believes that we can bring an “Agent of Change” to Malacañang. She said that it would take every Filipino, and with their help reform is foreseeable.
Inside Look
In a text message sent to The Times by Party List Representative Joel Emmanuel Villanueva of the Citizen’s Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC), he offered an inside look on how politicians perceive Obama’s victory and how it affects politics.
“Obama’s win may have inspired our people, especially the youth of this nation, to regard and internalize politics differently.”
He said that Obama eradicated the connotations that we have, for example age is commonly alluded to experience, and the minority is viewed to be inferior. With Obama’s victory against the more experienced McCain he has redefined the accepted norms in politics.
Villanueva added that Obama has the capacity to declare a war against corruption “even if he has to fight with world leaders.” And he has the uncanny talent to tackle it head on.
Villanueva reiterates the point that the Filipino people must demand for a cleaner way of governance where corruption is curbed instead of being condoned. He says that it is the only way to bring the country back to the right track.
Academic View
“All this electioneering, election campaign, would start by January 2010, and I’m sure a lot of them [politicians] would use the Barack Obama way of campaigning.” Bubbles Beverly Asor, Professor of Political Science at the University of the Philippines Los Baños said.
Asor also added that many of these candidates would try to depict incumbent President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the George W. Bush of the Philippines, while the candidates are harbingers of change.
Contradicting the statements of Harvey Keh, Lisa Kircher-Lumbao and Rep. Joel Emmanuel Villanueva, Asor asserted that the youth’s exposure to Obama’s campaign and his subsequent victory is minimal. She added that many young Filipinos are not aware of what happened in the US, and if there has been any it was limited to the upper to middle class portions of our society.
There is no foreseeable change on the youth’s attitude toward voting, and that it is highly unlikely to see an energized youth vote, the professor said. But she does not discount the possibility of a candidate that can attract the youth to polling precincts, but as of now she does not see any candidate fitting the description.
Asor also believes that Obama is needed by the United States at such a critical point in their history, but it would be a different story here in the Philippines. She cites that many Filipinos have been suffering for quite some time and that the innate resiliency of the Filipino people somehow pulls them through every struggle.
She said that she does not discount the reality that the country needs a leader that represents change. But she refers to the current roster of presidential candidates and how not one of them represents change.
Asor also said that campaign rhetoric would not work in the Philippines’ current set-up.
“Rhetoric would never work in the Philippines. The Politicians use catch-all phrase, no platform here. No one has given specifics here. Would you hear ideologies? Do you them talking about ideologies? They don’t.”
Asor argues that the “Obama Factor” would not work here in the country because there is no common ideology in our political institutions and because our political party system is in disarray.
The solution for our political dilemma is the restructuring of political parties, according to Asor.
“It’s [party restructuring] important, before you can come up with charter change and everything. But first, political culture, with the overhauling of political culture then you would put up political parties. If you are talking about democracy political parties are important.” Asor added.
Asor said that if we would like to see a “voter’s revolution” we must empower the grassroots level with the help of the middle class. The middle class would serve as organizers and educators that would inspire and lead the masses to bring an “agent of change” to the political forefront.
“We would call it Political change, Economic change and Social change at the same time, and then you’d have change, and with change comes development that we had been yearning for. But of course we would need a person to lead us all the way like a Barack Obama, charismatic maybe inexperienced but if he says ‘I need your help’ then we’d help.” Asor said.
But the political culture is a big hindrance for people who represent change here in the country. Asor also said that it would be difficult to change the political system because that is what we’re provided with.
“The system does not allow this kind of people [reform candidates] to be there. With Barack Obama, he would really emerge as a winner because their system is okay.”
‘Why are we looking for a Barack Obama Anyway?’
The dynamics of Philippine Politics is different from the dynamics of its American counterpart. From the party system to the way they vote astounding disparities can be seen between the two system, Keh said.
But one cannot blame the Filipino people from celebrating his victory, which has been followed by drawing of analogies.
UPI Columnist Mong Palatino tries to explain the elation Filipinos are feeling over Obama’s victory.
“Perhaps the messages of solidarity conveyed by many Filipinos to Obama and the American people reflected the Filipinos’ yearning to feel great as a nation again. Filipinos are celebrating Obama’s victory because they believe it was their victory too.”
Palatino correlates this to what the whole world felt after the 1986 People Power Revolution.
“In 1986 American author Roger Rosenblatt, writing for Time magazine, described the Philippines’ People Power in this way: “The theme is in fact our own: that a people released from oppression will, of their natural inclinations, seek human values. Try not to forget what you saw last week. It was ourselves in eruption far away.”
Because of the jubilation brought by Obama’s victory all over the world, Filipino politicians are trying to identify themselves as local counterparts of the US President.
“There will be more candidates identifying themselves as the “Obama” of the Philippines. But the search for the authentic “Filipino Obama” would be difficult, if not impossible.”
Palatino said that many outstanding leaders have no chance to serve the country.
“There are many “Filipino Obamas” – young leaders who are discriminated against but intelligent and very idealistic. However, they are not known at the national level. It would be impossible for them to succeed in the elections. It would take more years, perhaps decades, for an authentic “Filipino Obama” to win as president.”
This has been reinforced by Asor’s statement that the system presents itself as a stumbling block for prospective leaders
Professor Asor also asked the question: “Why are we looking for Barack Obama?” She said that if we wanted we could be the agent of change that we are looking for. And as a part of the problem the solution can be found in our very selves.
“It [change] may start from you.” Asor said.
Palatino further supports this by saying that we should remember our country’s personal feats instead of looking for Obama among our ranks.
“Instead of looking for Filipino politicians who embody the qualities of Obama, maybe it is better to compare his victory to past events in the Philippines which united the country and inspired the world. It is more useful to remember those great and rare episodes in Philippine history rather than to fruitlessly identify Obama wannabes.” Palatino said in an article.
Once you recognize your capacity to bring change, Asor said, you must join the civil society because “the civil society democratizes politics.”
“There is power in numbers” she said.
