VP Guingona at ang Bangon!

“As I live and breath, I say — I do not intend to stand as a candidate in 2004. Kahit wala sa posisyon, I can still be an instrument for change, like what I did during martial law.”

Hindi na tatakbo sa 2004 si Pangulong Teofisto Guingona. Sa halip, tinanggap niya ang pamumuno sa Bangon! nationalist movement, isang bagong kilusan ng mga makabayang organisasyon at indibidwal.

Dala ang pakikiisa at suporta ng mga makabayan, inaasahang magsisilbing “third force” sa political arena ang Bangon! Isusulong ng Bangon! ang nasyonalismo at malinis na pamamahala upang mabigyang pag-asa at maiangat ang kamalayan ng mga Pilipino.

Itataguyod nito ang mga reporma at pagkilos laban sa katiwalian, babantayan ang pangangasiwa ng katarungan sa bansa, at tutulong upang maging malinis at tapat at pambansang halalan sa 2004.

Kabilang sa mga lider ng Bangon! sina dating Sen. Bobby Tañada at Philippine Star Columnist Teddy Benigno at dumalo naman sa paglulunsad nito sina Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, Akbayan Rep. Etta Rosales, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan SecGen Teddy Casiño, at iba pang kilalang makabayan.

Bilang bahagi ng kampanya nito laban sa katiwalian, kasama ang iba pang mga organisasyon ay sisikapin ng Bangon! na malaman kung may sapat na katunayan ang mga bintang laban sa mag-asawang Gloria at Mike Arroyo. Handa itong kumuha ng mga pribadong imbestigador upang siyasatin ang mga bintang.

Narito ang bahagi ng manifesto ng Bangon!:

Have we all lost the capability for national greatness? We hardly think so. And that is why we are now launching BANGON! to fill a gaping void that has long existed in our society.

Without resorting to violence, BANGON! aims to ignite hope into the citizenry, unfasten its chains, rekindle the dreams of our national heroes.

Malugod na tinanggap ng Bayan ang pagkakatatag ng Bangon! Narito ang bahagi ng kanilang pahayag:

We in Bayan, an alliance of nationalist and democratic people’s organizations of the basic sectors and middle forces, are elated at your efforts to organize a nationalist movement of the middle forces.

We agree wholeheartedly that centuries of subservience to Spanish colonialism and US imperialism, elite rule and miseducation have brought our country to the brink of collapse. Indeed, as your manifesto declares, only nationalism, jointly and militantly championed by all sectors and strata of society, can save the country from further ruin.

The time is ripe for Bangon! to add its strength to the growing clamor for meaningful change in Philippine society. We commend Vice Pres. Teofisto Guingona for leading this noble endeavor. Once again, we salute his courage, integrity and vision. We are with you all in the common struggle for a more sovereign, democratic, just, peaceful and prosperous nation.

Nagpahayag din ng pakikiisa sa Bangon ang Alternatiba!, isa pang bagong koalisyon ng mga organisasyong masa. Ayon sa media release ng Alternatiba!:

The launching of Alternatiba! immediately followed the launching yesterday of Bangon, a middle force movement led by Vice President Teofisto Guingona. Though they differ in composition and in some areas of their platforms, the two movements share common visions on wide range of issues such as corruption in the government to globalization. Thus, leaders of Alternatiba! said they are ready and will be happy to work with Bangon and any other movements in pursuit of a common goal.

Kabilang naman sa Alternatiba! ang mga organisasyong Akbayan, Alab-Katipunan, Bukluran sa Ikauunlad ng Sosyalistang Isip at Gawa (Bisig), Kalayaan!, Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (KPD), Padayon, Pandayan, Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas 1930, Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), Sanlakas, and Social Democratic Caucus (SDC), Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC), Kilusang Mangingisda (KM), Alyansa ng Maliliit na Mangingisda at Magsasaka (AMM), at Peace Camp.

Sa kanyang desisyong huwag nang kumandidato, mas napatunayan ang integridad at malinis na hangarin ni Guingona. Karapat-dapat lamang na pamunuan niya ang isang kilusang katulad ng Bangon! Kung tutuusin, gaya ng laging sinasabi ni Conrado de Quiros, mas karapatdapat mamuno si Guingona sa bayang ito.