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“Why do we need large amounts of money to run?  What are we going to do with the money?  People have approached me and asked -You want this province? You need 1 million pesos. They get shocked when I say I don't have that money nor will I practice that kind of politics. There are many operators out there who are used to receiving money. We need  a lot of money to buy media time, to buy voters, to buy journalists. If people are reflective, people really think through,  one doesn’t need money.  Money and machinery do not automatically translate votes.  Media and internet are all buzzing with voters education and responsible voting.”  That was what Nick Perlas related to the Blogwatch team as we discussed new politics and the reasons for his disqualification by the Commission of Elections (Comelec). Comelec said that:

On the other hand, despite having possessed the requirements provided under law, the candidates' capacity to wage a national campaign and the determination of their true intent in filing the certificates of candidacy is another matter.

The Comelec is careful not to label him as "nuisance candidate" because you  will find that he does not fit the definition stated in the constitution .  Comelec is really committing a huge transgression to the Filipino people by deciding for the Filipinos. They are deciding for us that New Politics cannot happen, and that people of Integrity cannot lead this country.

He has not spent a single money on media.

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Nick Perlas talks on his disqualification and new politics.

This is a different election with the age of internet. He cited internet statistics. “Yahoo for instance has over 300 million subscribers. When Yahoo users open their email, they have the news with a  wider reach of Inquirer and Philippine Star. There is an estimated 12 million internet users with a reach of 24 million.”

“Winnability is something you create and not something you earn or inherit. One needs the vision and track record to realize the vision.”

Nick adds that “Comelec is mistaking means for end.  Means is money and political party for end but if you develop other means like internet and media to reach the public, it is the public that votes not political parties. We don’t have political parties as mainstream and functioning and the money is never enough. People are jumping from LAKAS NUCD, because they realize the actual context of the mood of the people that media and internet are influential.  People don’t like traditional politicians. Two thirds of Filipinos don’t like traditional politics and this explains why people are going to Noynoy whom they mistake as the bearer of New Politics.”

Nick Perlas claims Noynoy is not the bearer of new politics and cites  his article, eight reasons why Noynoy can weaken new politics

1. Reliance of branding, name recognition and does not encourage useful discussion. It is not platform based.
2. People don’t understand the historical lessons that need to be learned of People Power 1 and People Power 2. After the bad government is turned, there is no vision and everything is in disarray

From this perspective, he adds that asking all non-traditional and even opposition forces from traditional politics to unite behind Noynoy is repeating the same historical mistake. One is being asked to unite against the abuses of the Arroyo administration and remove it in 2010. He says it is not clear what we will be installing after the Arroyo regime is gone. We are being rushed to unify without a clear idea of what vision and strategic agenda we will pursue together and what process we will undertake to arrive at that common vision and agenda.

What is New Politics?

"The basic essence of new politics is vision of the country and track record to actually  realize the vision. When you have that, one will be an attractive candidate, and then media will cover them, people will  learn about you , people will get excited. In the end, the people will volunteer and  in the end, provide the resources and  organization to make one win. Old politics is reversed. One has popularity, machinery, money even though one doesn’t have vision, competence, track record and one forces to win in the beginning."

In   Is Noynoy Aquino an Enabler or Suppressor of the New Politics?, he further elaborates on the difference of old and new politics

The old politics believes that one of the key ingredients of winnability, is to have a personality with name recall and national exposure. That is why traditional politics is filled with candidates who have lots of money to spend on advertising in TV, radio, and newspapers. That is why, until recently, traditional politics was littered with show biz and media personalities.

In contrast, the new politics selects qualified and proven leadership willing to advance the vision and strategic agenda co-created together with the people. In this consideration, winnability is not the primary consideration in the beginning. Instead, once the proper platform is crafted and qualified leadership found that would advance that visionary platform, then proponents of the new politics organize to make sure that their candidates win. If the candidate does not have a strong national name recall, the new politics will find ways and means to ensure that their candidate gets the necessary national exposure, among others, to win in the national elections.

Favor winnability over character, track record, and vision

What is driving the old politics of unity against something not for something, top-down agenda setting, personalities, political dynasties, neglect of inner change, and dismissal of a necessity of a cultural revolution? The answer is as simple as it is profoundly pervasive. The driving force is the imperative to win at all costs.

 

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Nick Perlas talks on New Politics

 

More videos at Youtube.com/blogwatchdotph

Traditional notions of winnability is the political virus that infects political parties, personalities, media, Church leaders, businessmen, and many others, including, yes, even advocates of the new politics. It is a virus so deep in all of us that we cannot even recognize it when we are totally under its control.

Nick Perlas encourages Filipinos to read details of the thousands of supportive comments in the website of the global campaign at: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/let-nick-run.

In the petition, supporters affirmed the outstanding and “extraordinary” qualifications of Perlas as a presidential candidate, as “serious player in the world stage”, and even compared him with the early Barack Obama. Geseko Von Luepke of Germany wrote: “Nicanor Perlas - as Barack Obama - shows that the future leaders will not come from wealthy classes but from civil society. Let Nicanor run!”

Last December 22, he filed his 48-page legal motion, backed by over 120 pages of supporting facts.  He demonstrated in great detail why he should not be disqualified. Among others, Perlas showed to Comelec that he had a real, tangible and factual capacity to wage a national campaign.

“They can reverse this and support the yearning of Filipinos and the world for new politics by restoring my rightful place among presidential candidates in the 2010 national elections. Then we can usher in a new country and help create a better world.”

It is not just a matter of Comelec or Supreme Court's decision to reinstate Nick Perlas’ candidacy.

The question also lies on the electorate. Are you ready for new politics? Do you want to give new politics a chance?

 

Photos of Nick Perlas by author and Rochelle Sy Chua. Videos by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado. Some Rights Reserved.