By Michael Marley, Examiner.com
MICHAEL MARLEY'S PHILIPPINE DIARY, PART 24:
What I Learned At Philippine National Elections, 2010
GENERAL SANTOS CITY—I doubted but then I came and I saw.
I was unsure as to whether political novice Manny Pacquiao, a fistfighter first and foremost albeit the best in the world including anyone named Floyd Mayweather, could demolish the deeply entrenched, dynastic political machinery known as the Chiongbians.
In rural, poverty stricken Sarangani Province, the Chiongbian clan, in cahoots the also rich and powerful Alcantra and Dominguez clans (an incestual group to be sure), has had a two decades long jron grip on everything from bullets to ballots, from fishing to farming and from electrical power to mining.
Pacman knocking out the Triad of Chiongbian-Alcantra-Dominguez?
In a political vein translated to boxing, that would be like Manny knocking out Mayweather, Shane Mosley and Antonio Margarito on the same night.
Pacquiao, a measly millionaire competing with longtime billionaires, was like a mouse attacking an elephant, like some Joe Blow trying to topple the Mayor Daley regime in Chicago or to defeat a Kennedy in Massachusetts. It could be compared to battling someone named Bush deep in the heart of Texas.
I doubted, I came, I saw, I believe as Pacquiao, learning valuable lessons from his electoral spanking in hometown Gensan at the hands of clever Dazzling Darlene Antonino-Custodio in a Congressional mismatch in 2007, was intelligent enough to put together a team of James Carville, Rahm Emmanuel, Donna Brazile types, veterans of Pinoy politics.
Now, in the wake of a resounding victory which may wind up a 2 to 1 ballot battering, Pacquiao must render unto Cesar what is Cesar's.
In this case, Cesar is a bright fellow named Cesar Y. Yamuta, a Borneo native and political operative who now works out of Iligan City.
Yamuta, working closely with Mayor Tanny Pepito and Zaldy Du, spearheaded the People's Champ Movement with Pacquiao as its standardbearer.
In the wee hours Tuesday morning, at the so called “Pacquiao Pentagon” fortress where a team of youthful workers worked the phones and computers tabulating results, Yamuta explained to me and promoter Bob Arum the winning strategy.
“We aimed our Pacquiao pitch at the poorest of the people in Sarangani, the masses of the people who have gotten nothing out of the established powers that used to be,” Yamuta said.
“Our message was simple, we asked the poorest people, 'Is Manny your idol? If he is your idol, then you should help him so he can go to Congress and help you.' We asked every person who respinded favorably to that to extend our reach, we asked them to reach out to 10 other people with the same mesaage.”
Personally, I saw if not understood the efficacy of Pacman's emotional but also factual appeal to the pobrecitos in Saragani.
When Manny thumped his chest and spoke of sleeping on the street, of peddling cigarettes to get a bowl of rice, of having next to nothing in terms of creature comforts, the “least of them” got the message.
Here is a boxing idol who has not forgotten from whence he came and who might be able to deliver a hospital, school supplies and free medicatuions in a Third World country where it is often said the majority of the people exists on less than $5 per day.
They came to see their ring hero, they listened intently and then they turned out in droves at the polling places despite some scattered reports of harrassment from the other side.
The people of Sarangani have not merely spoken.
They certainly did not whisper.
They shouted it from the rooftops of tin shacks and straw huts, from the rice fields and the tuna fishing boats.
Pacquiao is The People's Champion and The People's Choice.
All hail the Honorable Congressman from the 15th Congressional District.
Or, as he was referrred to by his happy supporters Monday night and into Tuesday, Landslide Manny.
I doubted, I came, I saw.
I consumed kinilaw, balut and quaffed frosty San Miguel Light.
I believe.
Massive popularity, genuine humility, absolute sincerity. His message ran loud and it rang true.
How long before Manny Pacquiao becomes president of the Philippines?
Not long, not long at all.
You can make book on that.
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Source: examiner.com
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