By Manny Piñol
Early yesterday morning, I started the long journey from Mindanao to Kilometre Zero, that marker from which all the distances leading to the different parts of the country, are measured.
On Saturday, I have a date with history and that will be the moment when I will witness the final day of the struggle, maybe even a movement or a revolution, which I expect will install the first ever President who will truly address the fears and represent the dreams of the Filipinos.
Rodrigo Roa Duterte will brave the threats of assassination and make his final appearance and deliver his last message to the nation before at least 80% of the 54 million Filipinos will go to the polling precincts on Monday to formally declare him as the next President of the Philippines.
“It’s all over but the shouting,” is the sports cliche to describe a game whose outcome has already been cast much like the Warriors leading by 20 points with one minute left in the last quarter.
In this case, it could be safely said that it is all over but the voting.
As the popularity numbers of Vice President Jejomar Binay plummeted from over 60% last year to less than 18% now, as Senator Grace Poe Llamanzares’ acceptance nosedived from over 40% to only 20% and as the vaunted political machinery of the Liberal Party came crashing down under the weight of people’s support for Duterte, the elections on Monday will just be a confirmation of what the nation has witnessed over the last 90 days.
Local political groups erstwhile affiliated with other parties have already jumped ship and joined the Duterte bandwagon.
In fact, a few days ago, pioneering Federalism advocate Reuben Canoy reported a phenomenon in Misaims Oriental and Cagayan de Oro City where for the first time local politicians under different parties have agreed to support a common presidential candidate – Duterte.
In other parts of the country, big political blocs are yielding to the wishes of their people – Duterte.
The Bangsamoro and the Indigenous People have all decided – Duterte.
Late yesterday, Duterte’s presidential bid, which already enjoys a 12% lead over his closest rivals, received the final boost with the endorsement of the block-voting Iglesia Ni Cristo whose estimated 2-million voting-members will seal the victory for the leader from the South.
My brother, Bobong, my Godson John Pagaduan and long-time driver Junjun Solin, are taking this long and hard journey because I would like to witness history.
This will be the first time in the history of Philippine politics that a candidate who does not have the money and the political machinery will rise through a people’s movement which was initially slow but suddenly gained strength and momentum towards the end of the campaign.
For me, this will be the affirmation of what I whispered to Duterte over two years ago when he dismissed my suggestion to consider the Presidency when I said: “You cannot escape from your destiny.”
On Saturday, I will just be standing in the sidelines in a distance where I will be able to see my friend Rody Duterte deliver his final campaign message.
This is one moment which I would like to keep in my memory so that I could later tell my grandchildren that I was part of history.
After all of this, I will fade back to quiet confines of my farm happy with the thought that somehow I was one of those who took the long and difficult journey which brought the country peace and prosperity.
(Photo of me driving taken by my brother Bobong and the map of the long journey created by John Pagaduan.)
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