BENIGNO “Noynoy” Aquino, the son of the Philippines' democracy icon and former president Cory Aquino, has said he will contest the presidency in 2010 elections. Here are some questions and answers on Aquino and his prospects: How likely is Aquino to win? Difficult to say. Aquino's rating has surged ahead of other presidential candidates in the latest opinion poll, but analysts say it is too early to establish a trend eight months away from the actual casting of ballots. They have said the elections in May 2010 are wide open. Some believe Aquino's popularity might just be a product of media hype brought about by the outpouring of emotion when his mother died in August. Aquino has no experience in the executive department other than standing by his mother's side when she was president for six years and in his nine years as a lawmaker he does not have a great track record. Funding and organization could also be a problem since most other candidates started campaign preparations as early as 2007. Aquino's Liberal Party is a small organization, although his decision to run for president may persuade other groups to align with his party. Two senior officials in the Arroyo government, including Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, have openly endorsed Aquino's presidential candidacy. It was too early to say if the early defection could lead to a tsunami of support for Aquino's presidential run. But the hundreds of thousands of people who came out for the funeral of Aquino's mother, former President Cory Aquino, last month represent a huge vote bank, some analysts have said. Given the status of both his mother and father, a senator assassinated when he returned from political exile in 1983 during the rule of strongman Ferdinand Marcos, Aquino could be riding the crest of a huge popularity wave, they have said. His challenge will be how to keep that support intact until the elections in May and garner more grassroots support and expand the network of political and business connections that could help translate popularity into deliverable votes. What are his economic policies likely to be? One of Corazon Aquino's most important legacies to the Philippines is the 1987 constitution, adopted during her term in office. Its political provisions specify term limits for elected officials, a reaction to Marcos' two decades in power, but it also has strongly nationalist economic provisions, including restrictions on foreign investment in some sectors and on foreigners owning land. Aquino has said he is not a fan of amending the constitution even though many businessmen agree that change in the economic provisions would be welcomed by markets. However, he has said his platform will be good governance; and that his presidency will focus on infrastructure, tax reform and education, all of which should enthuse investors. Manuel “Mar” Roxas, a Liberal Party colleague who has withdrawn his own nomination to make way for Aquino, was the preferred choice of markets for the presidency. Roxas has served as trade secretary for two administrations and has worked in an investment bank, while Aquino has only held legislative posts. Roxas is standing as the Liberal Party's vice-presidential candidate and will campaign along with Aquino. Some analysts say Aquino has not actively supported key economic policies during his days in Congress and the business community is unlikely to welcome a candidate who has yet to prove anything. What will be his political platform? Aquino's Liberal Party is strongly centrist, and has been likened to the Democratic Party of the United States. He has been opposed to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, once an ally of his mother, after she became enmeshed in charges of corruption and election fraud. Aquino is also risking the support of influential Catholic bishops, staunch allies of his mother, over his position on a pending bill on reproductive health in Congress. Aquino supports the measure being pushed by his party. On his website (www.noynoy.ph), Aquino has written: “My father died for democracy. My mother fought for democracy. They believed that if we make democracy work in our country, the government would be accountable to the people. “I am determined to continue the fight started by my father and my mother to see that democracy takes root and is strengthened in our country. This cannot happen in a government that serves the interest of the powerful few.”
