Choosing A President By A Candidate’s Vision – “Unity” For Bongbong Marcos Vs “Angat Buhay Lahat” (Unity In Diversity) For Leni Robredo

Tomorrow, Monday, 09 May 2022, we Filipinos are going to elect a new President. This is much more than selecting a leader female vs male. To choose, I say you must investigate not your feelings but her/his Vision.

(Leni & Bongbong image from Rappler, Rappler.com, Steve Jobs quote from Canva, quotemaster.org)

Bongbong Marcos’ (BBM’s) Vision is “Unity.” Dennis Gutierrez says Bongbong chose Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and their senatorial candidates under UniTeam “because they share a common desire to see people come together and face the challenges ahead with single-mindedness” (06 May 2022, “Bongbong Marcos Urges Pinoys: Vote For Unity, Country’s Future On Monday,” Inquirer, newsinfo.inquirer.net).

Kristine Joy Patag quotes Bongbong as saying in a rally (09 Feb 2022, “It's 'Unity, Unity, Unity' For UniTeam's Presidential Bet Marcos,” PhilStar Global, philstar.com):

“Ang pagkakaisa ay naging adhikain ko dahil sa aking aapat na paniniwala na ng pagkakaisa ay ang unang hakbang upang tayo ay makaraos na sa gitna ng krisis na nasan tayo,” he said.

(Unity has become my advocacy because of my sincere belief that unity is the first step for us to recover from the crisis that we are in.)

Beautiful!

In contrast, as I see it, Leni Robredo’s Vision is “Unity In Diversity” (my restatement of the actual slogan “Angat Buhay Lahat” (Improved Lives For All). Leni is looking to lead the mass of millions, united in their desire to improve their lives, if differently.

Why Unity? Because we are not united as a people: democracy-loving citizens versus believers in Communism, Christians vs Muslims, businessmen vs natives in resource-rich highlands etc. We must first be united to be able to proceed to prosperity.

Why Unity In Diversity? Because millions of Filipinos lead lives at the poverty line, or below. No matter how you cut it, many people are poor. Leni looks at the followers first before she looks at the leaders, the needs of the people first before the wants of their leaders.

As I see it, Leni’s Vision is clearer and appeals to a great many more people, I would say.

As I am an agriculturist and a proselytizer of Communication for Village Development in the 21^st Century (CoViD21), let me take the case of the tens of millions of farmers – the great majority of them would welcome and support any national program to improve their lives and bring them higher to the level of prosperity, up from their age-old level of poverty!

“Unity In Diversity” – From Poverty to Prosperity, the different Filipino millions deserve to enjoy the same improved lives as long as they practice their industry. Steve Jobs, a great modern mind, tells us that Vision pulls everyone. With the President’s Vision, we Filipinos will rise above poverty!

To restate the political positioning more cogently:

Under Unity (Bongbong), the Leaders are the Masters of the People. The Masses are simply Followers.

Under Unity In Diversity (Leni), the People are the Masters of the Leaders. The Leaders must “Serve the People!”@517