Analysis and Opinion
By Joe America
I don't think pinks are a personality cult. But it's not up to me to decide. It's up to pinks to decide and they can go either direction, personality or principle. Or they can dissolve and waste the tremendous amount of effort put into the "brand" by Leni and her followers.
It's my understanding that Leni will pursue local politics, not national politics, in 2025 or 2028. Unfortunately, there appears to be no political organization left behind. Pinks were always independent, free lance, and passionate.
I'd guess Leni needs to appoint a figurehead or real leader of the movement if she does not want it to dissolve. Or primary backers need to designate the heir. Right now I see Atty Barry Gutierrez as a wayward spokesman for the pink principles. Is he the heir? Being heir doesn't mean he has to run for office but, really, someone needs to organize the considerable POWER for good that pink represents.
If it is Barry, he needs to meet with Leila de Lima of the yellows, Joy Belmonte of Quezon City, Risa Hontiveros of the Left, Nancy Binay of Makati, Vico Sotto III of Pasig City, and a few other important souls to piece together a new political power structure in the Philippines. I don't know where Tulfo fits, frankly. (Refer to "Organizing to win in 2028".)
The 2028 presidential political league is likely to be Duterte, Marcos, Tulfo, and a bunch of parties and individuals who dream big but perform weak. Including the pinks. But if you unify this collection of weaklings, including the pinks, then you have a four team contest that they can win. And if they win, they can end the rule of the dynasties and populists for good.
You'd have a political force that is FOR THE PHILIPPINES. And it would endure.
This combined organization (I refrain from using the abused word unified) can be formed by putting together pieces that ordinarily would operate on their own. Operating on their own, they would divide the effort to build a modern, productive Philippines.
What is the glue that can bring them together? The principles of honesty, competence, sovereignty, and proper rewards for success. The latter is important. Those who lead the Philippines to wealth and progress must be highly paid. It is the incentive to get corruption out of the nation's bloodstream. Because it is sepsis.
The path to a new, modern Philippines is so, so close? Can you feel it?
Pinks did in 2022.
The color in 2028 has to be bigger than pink. But it can achieve what I suspect would please Leni Robredo immensely.
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Photograph from Harvard International Review article "Public Service in Pink: Interview with Leni Robredo".
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