The Time For Preparation & Spiritual Strengthening Has Come

Noynoy to seek 'divine guidance' for 2010 plans
abs-cbnNEWS.com

Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III on Wednesday announced that he will be going on a retreat this coming weekend for "divine guidance" for his plans on the 2010 presidential elections.

"This weekend, starting tomorrow actually, I will be going on a spiritual retreat as I pray for discernment and divine guidance," Aquino said in a prepared speech.

He also implored his supporters to pray with him, and said he hoped people are one with him in the "difficult struggle ahead."

"I urge you to pray with me so that you too can assess your own readiness to take part in the difficult struggle ahead. We are hopefully in this together," he said.

"Hindi ko po tatalikuran ang hamong ito, sana'y kasama ko kayo sa labang ito," Aquino said.

"Sa mga nalalabing araw ng aming pagluluksa at pagdadalamhati sa pagpanaw ng aming mahal na ina, sisikapin ko pong taospusong sagutin ang katanungang ito. Sana maunawaan po ninyo ang bagay na ito," Aquino said.

Aquino made his announcement in front of members and supporters of the Liberal Party at a press conference at Club Filipino in San Juan.

Noy thanks Mar

Aquino's announcement came a day after Senator Manuel "Mar" Roxas II announced his withdrawal from the 2010 presidential race to give way for an Aquino candidacy under the LP.

In his speech on Wednesday, Aquino first thanked Roxas for his "sacrifice" in withdrawing from the 2010 race, in favor of party unity and the sake of the nation.

"Umaapaw po ang paghanga at paggalang ko kay Mar sa kanyang pagsasaaalangalang ng kanyang personal na ambisyon para sa pagkakaisa ng aming partido at para sa higit na mataas na mithiin na kapwa namin inaasahan para sa aming taumbayan," Aquino said.

"Senator Roxas's sacrifice is the finest example of selflessness that our nation sorely needs in this morally troubled times," he said.

He also echoed Roxas' call for personal sacrifice.

"Tulad po ng kanyang sinabi kagabi, kalimutan po natin ang ating mga sarili dahil ang laganap na pagtingin sa pansariling kapakanan ang mismong ugat ng kasakiman at pagkawatak-watak na sumisira sa ating lipunan," he said.

Noy, Mar one in their fight

Aquino said he and Roxas will be one in their fight.

"Kasama po ako ni Mar sa malaking laban na ito. At sana, kasama rin naman ang bawat Pilipinong naniniwala sa aking kalinisan ng loob, at ng karamihan ng ating mga kababayan at naghahangad ng isang bansang tunay nating maipagmamalaki," he said.

He also said that this is not really an issue about him or Roxas.

"Ang usapin pong ito ay di tungkol sa akin o kay Mar. Ang mahalaga pong malaman ay kung kasama namin kayo sa misyon ng tunay na pagbabago. Hindo po madali ang misyong ito dahil matindi ang kabulukukang bumabalot sa ating lipunan. Nguni't hindi imposibleng makamit ang ating mga pinakamimithi para sa Pilipinas. Ito ay magsisimula sa bawat isa sa atin," he said.

He made his announcement at the historic Gabaldon Room, where his mother, the late former president Corazon Aquino, took her oath of office in 1986.

Click here for related story and video clip.

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Walang sinumang tunay na sasabak sa isang matinding hamon ng responsibilidad na hindi man lang naghahanda sa kanyang sarili kahit papaano.

Kung si Noynoy ay kailangan niyang ihanda ang kanyang sarili, e mas lalong kailangang ihanda ng taombayan ang kanilang mga sarili dahil ang hamon na kanilang tatahakin ay hindi lamang hanggang sa pagkakampanya at pagboto kay Noynoy. Tutoloy ito lampas pa sa eleksyon hanggang sa susunod na darating pa na yugto ng ating kasaysayan.

Walang tunay na pagbabago na walang katumbas at kalakip na sakripisyo. Ang tanong ngayon na dapat nating itanong sa ating mga sarili ay ito, "Anong sakripisyo ang mai-alay at mai-bahagi ko para sa katuparan at tagumpay nitong ating sama-samang minimithing tunay na pagbabago ng ating bayan?"

Si Senador Mar Roxas ay nag-alay na ng sakripisyo. Sa pamamagitan ng kanyang ginawang sakripisyo, binuksan niya ang daan hindi lang para kay Noynoy kundi lalo na para din sa ating lahat.

Ngayon na ang tamang panahon para simulan na nating tipunin ang ating mga sarili at magpalakas sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaisa sa iisang mithiin.

Bukas na ang daan. Peru gaano ba tayo kahandang lalakad nito?

The Way Is Now Opening

Mar Roxas withdraws from 2010 race
ABS-CBN News
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Senator Manuel "Mar" Roxas II formally announced his withdrawal from the 2010 presidential race on Tuesday and his support for his partymate, Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.

"I am announcing my support for the candicacy of Noynoy Aquino for President in 2010," Roxas said at a press conference at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan.

"Noy has made it clear to me that he wants to carry the torch of leadership. The passing of our beloved former President Aquino has reawakened a passion among us. I acknowledge this as fuel to bring us to the realization of our dream: Good will triumph over evil," he said in his speech.

"Ito na ang pinakamabigat na desisyon sa buhay ko. Maniwala man kayo o hindi, ginagawa ko ito para sa bayan, para sa inyo. I do this for unity in support of change. And if that means that somebody must make the sacrifice, it must be me. Ako na," Roxas said, alluding to his political ads.

Among those present were LP chairman emeritus and former Senate President Jovito Salonga, former education secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad, and Aquino.

Country above self

He said his decision to withdraw his 2010 bid was placing the interests of the country above his own.

"Country above self. Bayan bago sarili," he said at the beginning of his speech.

Roxas said that he and Aquino share the same "outrage over the mess we are all in, the same way we share the solution--clean, honest, selfless public service."

"Noynoy and I want to make a difference, but we also know that we need to unite to achieve what we want," he said.

"Over the weekend, Noynoy and I had many long conversations... Masinsinang usapan. We agreed: Let us forget about ourselves for a moment. This is not about us, this is about our people and our country. This is about our common dream. The dream of our parents. But let us not remain a country of dreamers. Tama na ang pangarap. Gawin na natin, ngayon," Roxas said.

Before ending his speech, Roxas gave a message to Aquino.

"To you Noy, I say: I began the campaign to sow the seeds para sa pagbabago at reporma. You must now be the one to grow them in the arena of leadership," Roxas said.

"Hindi kami maghihiwalay ni Noy. I will stand with him," he said.

Nonoy's plans

He also had a message for his supporters, saying he won't be abandoning them.

"At sa aking mga kababayan, sa mga nagtiwala sa akin: Mahal na mahal ko po kayo. Mahal na mahal ko po ang ating bayan. Hindi rin tayo maghihiwalay. Itutuloy natin ang pagbabago sa ating bansa. Itutuloy natin ang laban para sa reporma," he said.

He, however, did not say if he will be Aquino's running mate, or if he would run for re-election in the Senate. Noynoy is expected to make announcement about his decision for 2010 on Wednesday.

Prior to the press conference, LP officials declined to confirm the announcement, but LP leader and former representative Nereus Acosta told ABS-CBN's Pia Hontiveros prior to the 6:30 pm press conference that the LP is heeding the clamor of the people.

Acosta said Roxas will be explaining the rationale for the changes in the LP's political plans. He said national interest, rather than personal interest, became the basis for Roxas' decision.

Since Roxas announced his decision to run as LP's presidential candidate, he has spent heavily on political ads.

Liberal Party roots

Both the Roxas and Aquino families have deep roots in the Liberal Party.

Roxas' grandfather, former President Manuel Roxas, founded the Liberal Party in the 1960's. The elder Manuel was the first president of the Philippine Republic.

Roxas' father, former Senator Gerardo M. Roxas, was the president of the party from 1969 to 1982. "My father led it during the most difficult times of Martial Law. Sa harap ng peligro, sa kabila ng napakaraming tukso, hindi siya sumuko. (In difficulties and temptations, he did not give up.)"

"He inspired me-to stay the course, to fight the good fight, to pass the test of true character. To believe," Roxas shared about his father.

Aquino's parents were also involved in the Liberal Party. His father, former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. was the party's most vocal member against the Marcos rule. His mother, former President Cory Aquino, ran as a guest candidate of the party in the 1986 snap election.

In the weeks leading to Roxas' announcement on Tuesday, Filipinos mourned the August 1 death of Cory Aquino, a democracy icon, and commemmorated Ninoy Aquino's death last August 21.

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Salamat kay Senador Mar Roxas sa kanyang ginawang pagbigay daan kay Noynoy. Kahanga-hanga ang kanyang sakripisyong ipinakita, isang gawi ng bayani.

Tama si Mar na hindi ang sariling ambisyon ang dapat manaig sa puso ng isang lider kundi ang kapakanan ng taombayan at ng buong sambayanan ang kailangang maisa-alang-alang. Ang mga hinaing ng mga mamayan ay ang siyang magiging pinakaplataporma ng sinumang magnanais na magsilbi sa bayan at ito rin dapat ay ang siyang magiging paninindigan ng kanilang partido.

"You just have to have faith in the filipino people. Alam nila kung ano yong tama, at alam nila kung sino'ng nambobola, at alam nila kung ano ang landas na tatahakin ng bayan." -- Former Gongressman Acosta of LP, speaking at ANC's Strictly Politics.

Peru noong nakaraang mga araw at mga buwan, bakit nila ginawang tanga si Senador Mar Roxas sa pamamagitan ng paulit-ulit nilang pagpapalabas sa kanyang pampolitikal na patalastas sa nasyonal na mga telebesyon kahit wala pa sa takdang panahon ng pangangampanya? Patalastas na halatang pambobola lamang at nilalaro lamang ang emosyon ng taombayan? Maliban pa dyan, pinagsasamantalaan pa nila ang kahinaan ng ating batas sapagkat ang kanilang ginawa ay isang uri ng pag-ilag sa ating batas panghalalan. Sana ay tunay na magbago na ang gawi ng ating mga politiko. Huwag sanang mahulog sa kamaliang ito si Noynoy.

GRP-MILF Peace Talks: Suspend or Resume?

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"There is consensus developed [in the public consultation] that the peace process should be continued." -- Sen. Rodolfo Biazon

"I think that the only option we have right now is to continue talking with the MILF... there's no other way... and if the talks should be continued, it should not be an open-ended process where we just get into a free wheeling ride. There's got to be an end to it. Government must make clear its position at this point in time. Government must tell the MILF what it can give and what it cannot give." -- Vice-Gov. Manny Piñol

"It is very important that the MILF leadership shows that they have control over these people [the said MILF 'lost' commands]. What use would an agreement be if after you sign an agreement many of the commanders will not toe the line or not follow the terms of the agreement. Of course it is very important that this is also taken up in the course of the negotiations. This question must have to be raised on the panel level openly when the two panels shall be able to meet already." - Sec. Jesus Dureza

"...I would like to recall the statement of the late chairman Salamat Hashim, he said, and I quote, 'The most practical and the most civilized way of solving the Mindanao problem is through a negotiated political settlement.' Yun po ang sabi nya, yan din ang paninindigan namin hanggang ngayon." -- Mohagher Iqbal, Chair of the MILF Peace Panel

Called in an unconventional way -- as his mother was

"Noynoy, on the other hand, had not shown any interest in the presidential or even vice-presidential race before and he still has three years to his senatorial seat. Inexorably, however, the death of his mother, Cory Aquino, and the consequent huge outpouring of public sympathy tantamount to a resurgent people power put him on the spotlight as an heir to the Aquino legacy. He suddenly found himself as a possible non-trapo alternative. Noynoy, if he so chooses to run, will be an unconventional candidate whose capacity to win cannot be measured in terms of popularity, money, or political base." -- Mon Casiple

Siblings open to Noynoy candidacy

Nagkakalinaw na ang ilang katanungan ni Sen. Noynoy Aquino sa panawagang tumakbo siyang pangulo sa 2010. Tatlo na kasi sa apat niyang mga kapatid ang bukas na sa kandidatura ni Noynoy.

Click here to see news video clip.

Read also:

* The people's messages of support for Noynoy
* Mar willing to give way to Noynoy presidential run
* Panlilio to back Noynoy for president

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And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)