By now, most every thinking Filipino shall have been convinced that we have to get our act together before 2010. To many, it is not just an election, as it is perceived as the last opportunity to get out of the stifling physical and moral decay that had engulfed the country over the past years. This desperation has worsened, but many, particularly the youth, are not merely sitting down - waiting and hoping that things would get better. There are movements aimed at the search for candidates who can respond to the requirements of an emerging reform constituency. That the future holds unimagined possibilities, that one can make things happen if one pursues a goal with passion, is an indicator of this growing sense of power. However, there are realities we have to face. As expressed by many who are afraid that we may repeat the experience of the last two elections, those who want to see an authentic reform in our political landscape must now consolidate their forces into an alliance.

They say that if the opposition continues to go its own way and remains fragmented, we can never hope to see a new day...

Political activist Joel Rocamora reminds us of another reality - that national elections are often determined by trench warfare” or the struggle for support among local politicians, and the “air war” of competing TV and radio advertising. Those of us in the reform movement, he says, must assert the importance of issues but at the same time be competitive in trench warfare and air war.

We can understand why “moral force” as a platform resonates with the people. An overseas Filipino worker reacting to the proposed Panlilio-Padaca tandem said, “I always ask God to give us good and incorruptible leaders so that fathers like me will not leave his family and work abroad anymore. Children will not walk 6 kilometers everyday to go to school and will not attend their class with empty stomachs. OFWs will not be raped in the Middle East.”

These and more experiences of how people are coping with threats to their security, are what drive many to gravitate to leaders who they believe can address these problems. To a certain extent, many of these threats can be addressed through leadership that is honest and incorruptible. But in our present world, where our nation is interconnected with the rest in our global world, the challenges have become much more complex. It would therefore take more than proven integrity and ability in managing the traditional demands of governance. What will be required of new leadership are new mindsets—flexibility, adaptability and openness, skills to both anticipate and respond to crisis, and to make choices among a host of alternatives. These attributes apply not only to the leader who orchestrates the processes of governing, but also to his or her team. When a candidate himself or herself, the electorate scrutinizes not only his competencies but also that of the team that he presents. Where political parties are wanting in terms of defining ideology and development priorities, we turn to the team of men and women that are expected to translate the leader’s program of government. My e-mail is florangel.braid@gmail.com.