In a class act of statesmanship, Senator Grace Poe conceded defeat to Mayor Rodrigo Duterte with all candor and humility to respect the will of the people even as she vowed to help in the national healing and unity.
It’s been an amazing journey for Amazing Grace Poe and the rest of those who supported her. I will forever be proud and treasure the experience of campaigning for her and her VP Chiz Escudero with a group of fine gentlemen who equally love God, our country and our people the likes of former Executive Secretary Oscar Orbos, Jorge V. Sarmiento, Roberto Rafael Lucila, Jonathan Malaya, Gen. Rey Velasco, and countless others who labored and sacrificed to push for a national agenda of inclusive growth, compassionate and caring government as well as protecting one’s inherent right to equal opportunities and protecting basic human rights including fighting for the rights of foundlings.
Nothing to be ashamed of. We conducted a decent campaign and we fought the good fight without comprising our principles and core values as individuals.
Looking back, I don’t regret missing the chance of campaigning for President-elect Rody Duterte after I was invited by former President Fidel V. Ramos to a golfing event on Oct.15, 2015 at Camp Aguinaldo on the last day of filing for those seeking national posts. Rody, along with former AFP Chief of Staff Jun Esperon, were expected to meet up with FVR that day with some retired generals and former Cabinet officials. As events unfolded that day, Rody did not file his CoC for the presidency and the expected meeting did not materialize.
Likewise, I don’t regret also missing the chance to campaign for Leni Robredo, my neighbor at Lansbergh Place Condominium after a friend from FPJ days named Allan Yap brought out the idea sometime August 2015 at QC Sports Club. Another was an open invitation from my good friend Congressman Bolet Banal last March, 40 days before E Day when we rode by chance the elevator at Lansbergh Condo.
It was sometime late in October 2015 when I formally aligned myself with the Team Grace and Chiz when I met with Pangasinan Gov. Oscar Orbos or Manong Oca or Ka Oca (as Grace acknowledged him at her miting de avance) who was to serve as overall campaign manager.
Foremost in our agenda was his pet baby called Project Serendipity, a real people empowerment program calling for a constitutional amendment that will automatically set aside 20 percent of government resources to fund the people’s HELPS (Health, Education, Livelihood, Pension and Shelter).
It could have been the core messaging of Team Grace and Chiz that could have easily connected and endeared them to the greater majority because Project Serendipity calls for Better Social Security and Welfare for All.
With the drama of the DQ cases gone after the Supreme Court ruling with finality that she was a natural-born Filipino who met the 10-year residency requirement to run for President, there was a need to put the proper messaging across—something that would resonate with the people. At that point, Duterte had gained ground with his strong message of fighting crime and corruption and to bring about change in six months.
And the rest is history. Coupled with the people’s greater disenfranchisement with ‘Daang Matuwid,’ Digong’s meteoric rise was unstoppable like a tsunami.
As my good friend Bobby Lucila said, our job is not yet over for our country. We will vigorously push and campaign for Project Serendipity with its proponents, Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon, Manong Oca, Senators Grace and Chiz who signed the covenant of support last April 9.
Following the lead of Grace Poe, let’s all unite and heal the wounds inflicted in the just concluded electoral exercise where the true sovereign will of the people hankering for greater and meaningful changes was best manifested with over 81 percent trooping to the polling places.
To President-elect Rody Duterte, may you serve as God’s instrument to heal and unite this broken land and bring it to the land of promise along with your native island of Mindanao whose date with progress, peace and destiny is now within reach under your presidency.
I privately messaged Raffy Alunan last night and congratulated him of Duterte’s victory ahead of Grace’s concession presscon. Being my co-author of the book Silver Linings, I told him that with FVR and him (Raffy) in the inner circle of Digong, our country will be somehow in good hands to wash away all unknown fears by some segments of society.
In retrospect, I tip off my hat to my erstwhile surrogate father FVR for respecting my decision to support Grace and Chiz and for accommodating some of our requests during the campaign for meaningful consultations as a true senior statesman.
Should Rody and Leni win as president and VP, respectively, FVR will emerge as the biggest winner in this election with his endorsements of the two candidates.
For the sake of our beloved Pilipinas, let’s all unite, work together for the common good and let change and peace begin with ourselves.
Velasco is a book author and official biographer of FVR’s family.