Messages pour in for Noynoy to run for president in 2010

Messages started to pour in Tuesday for Senator Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III to run for president in 2010, as the September 9 "deadline" for him to declare his political plan draws near. Radio dzBB’s Denevin Macaranas reported that as of Tuesday morning, letters urging Senator Aquino to run started accumulating in a large drum that a group placed near Aquino’s Quezon City home. “Tumaya ka na Noynoy, pumusta na kami sa iyo (Throw your hat in the ring Noynoy, we placed our bets on you)," one of the messages read, the report said. Before dawn Tuesday, several motorists and passersby stopped and wrote messages urging Aquino to run. “Tumaya ka na, tataya kami, hindi ka nag-iisa (Take courage now. We have laid our bet on you. You are not alone)," another message read. On Monday night, Aquino had hinted he may make public his political plans earlier than Sept. 9, the 40th day after the death of his mother, former President Corazon Aquino. Placing the drum near Aquino’s house along Times Street was the Tuloy pNOY Movement led by Alex Lacson. Lacson’s group had organized the Tuloy pNOY movement to convince Noynoy to run for president. The group set up a Web site urging people to convince Aquino to run. The Web site claimed each Filipino must make “taya" (bet) and must realize that no one is too poor, too weak, or too young not to be able to help the motherland. “Together with the responsibility and accountability of every citizen is the greater responsibility and accountability of leadership. If a citizen is asked to invest something beyond himself and herself, beyond his or her family, a leader is asked many times more. Leadership is first and foremost about character, one who is in power but not subordinate to it, one who has control of money but is not lured by it, one whose position opens all doors but prefers the simplicity of lifestyle, and one who is followed by many but takes the heart of a servant," it said. It described itself as a collectivity of concerned and pro-active citizens who have taken on the commitment to “make TAYA" and are now challenging Noynoy Aquino to run for the presidency. [See story: Roco party wants Noynoy to be standard bearer] The group said it believes in the character and integrity of Noynoy and is ready to support him for the presidency and ready to support the senator as president. It urged visitors to sign up on its webpage “to signify that you are part of the movement for the return of good governance to our country by pushing for the candidacy of NOYNOY AQUINO for President. Share this with your friends and invite them to sign up too!" Sen. Aquino enjoyed a sudden rise in popularity after the death of his mother last Aug. 1 and the 26th death anniversary of his father, former Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr., last Aug. 21. - GMANews.TV