Why Mar Roxas Leads All Surveys

It doesn't take a professional political analyst to explain why since the launch of his candidacy, Mar Roxas has led in all published and unpublished surveys without exception.

The reason is simple. Filipinos from all economic and educational strata recognize the qualities of mind and heart which anyone aspiring for public office must possess. In a word, character.

If you compare the viable vice presidential candidates with Mar Roxas, you see a stark contrast.

1. Loren Legarda is a talented woman with a great deal of energy. But her personal and political history shows that she is totally unprincipled. She turned her back on her Catholic faith and embraced Islam for a marriage of convenience. In the Senate she led the fight against President Erap, shed tears at his impeachment trial and then joined him as FPJ's vice president. Only months ago she denounced Senator Villar as a corrupt politician and is now running as his vice president. This is blatant opportunism.

2. Jejomar Binay has no moral credibility. He recalls the poverty of his boyhood, how he raised pigs in their backyard and poked for coins under the ashes of their burnt house. Now he is a multi-millionaire, which is impressive, except that he made his fortune while he and his family controlled the Makati local government. Hardly a sterling example of unselfish dedicated, service to the people.

3. Edu Manzano is a professional actor who opposes nothing and proposes nothing. He is shockingly unfamiliar with the nuances of public policy and relies chiefly on his movie star charm. It appears that in the campaign he himself is not convinced that he should be taken too seriously.

Then you have Mar Roxas. His credentials as a worthy candidate for the presidency are beyond question. Yet when faced with a crucial decision that would affect not only his future but the future of the Philippines, he distinguished himself. With a single act he demonstrated his core political beliefs- that personal aspirations must be subordinated to the needs of the nation,
that elective office no matter how high is not a business enterprise that must be gained at any price, and that an inordinate desire to win an election to public office by any means is by itself a moral disqualification to hold such an office.

This is what Mar Roxas showed the Filipino people when he gave way to Noynoy Aquino. He valued the nomination for the presidency, but not at the cost of a principle he valued even more: the opportunity to transform the political environment of our country and render authentic, effective, ethical service to the people he truly loves.

Filipino voters have seen this act of self sacrifice and partiotism and they have not forgotten. They have affirmed it in their positive response in every survey and it is not likely that they will soon forget.