MANILA--What would you give up or sacrifice to support a presidential aspirant you believe in?

For Ralph Morales, who is part of a youth leaders group, he would willingly leave his safe ground to focus on the campaign of his presidential bet, Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca.

"I'm doing this in my own capacity. I have a stable job pero kailangan ko ding tumaya," he told abs-cbnNEWS.com.

Morales is not alone in the cause of the Kayang-kaya Movement. Farmers and fisherfolks have also been giving a share of their harvests to support the incumbent governor.

The Kayang-kaya Movement was launched last Saturday urging Padaca to run for President. The movement is composed of various groups, particularly the Pambansang Kilusan ng Magsasaka (PAKISAMA), the same group which endorsed an Ed Panlilio and Padaca tandem last March 2009. (Read: Group launches Panlilio-Padaca tandem for 2010)

Panlilio, a priest who is on leave from his duties, is the incumbent governor of Pampanga. He beat two traditional politicians in 2007.  

Kayang-kaya is the third group so far to rally behind an alternative presidential candidate in the upcoming 2010 national elections. Earlier this year, the Movement to Elect Non-trapo (MEN) was launched to support and encourage Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno to vie for the presidency. Puno has rejected the proposal. (Read: Puno for president movement launched)

Giving instead of receiving

What sets Kayang-kaya different from these other groups is that the support they get are in "kind" since most of the members are farmers and fisherfolk.

"Eto kasi ang kaibahan nito, hindi ang mga tao ang naghihintay nang kung ano man ang ibibigay sa kanila ng kandidato. Sa pagkakataon na ito, yung mga tao ang nagbibigay ng kanilang taya o kontribusyon sa pinaniniwalaan nilang kandidato," said Raul Bauzuela, national coordinator of PAKISAMA.

For its initial meeting with leaders throughout Manila, contributions ranged from coconuts to dried fish to sacks of rice and sugar. These products will be sold and the proceeds will be used for Padaca's campaign if she decides to run for President.

"Ganun na lang kahalaga yung contribution nila kasi kakainin na lang nila yan eh," Morales said. He also added that  these people are confident that if Padaca wins, she will push for genuine reforms to improve the lives of the working class.

"Gusto din nilang baguhin ang takbo ng pulitika sa bansa natin," Bauzuela added. "Itong mga Pilipinong ito, sila naman ang magbibigay ng taya, hindi man pera, ang kanilang binibigay yung harvest nila."

Aside from farmers and fisherfolk, Kayang-kaya also includes businessmen, media, practitioners, youth, artists, and various other groups.

Voice of the farmers

Although Padaca is from Isabela, not all of her supporters are from the northern Luzon province. Morales said the movement seeks to unite farmers into a bloc that would rally behind Padaca.

The movement includes the Sumilao farmers, who marched from Bukidnon to push for agrarian reform in their community. One of the leaders, Rene Peñas, had been gunned down a few months earlier.

According to Bauzuela, the group had been looking for a presidential candidate 2 years ago. In 2008, only 2 names worthy of their support came up: Naga Mayor Jessie Robredo and Panlilio. Padaca only became part of the line-up earlier this year, but she has since become the group's strongest bet.

Among the presidential aspirants, Bauzuela said Padaca has the political will to implement agrarian reform, based on her achievements in Isabela.

"We need a president who has the political will to implement agrarian reform. Kahit manalo tayo, kung wala namang political will, wala ding mangyayari," Bauzuela noted.

Vinz Valle, broadcaster for Ang Bagong Pinoy Vision 2020, agreed that Padaca has what it takes to become President. "Hindi lang siya basta salita, meron talaga siyang nagawa. Kung sana nagawa niya sa Isabela, palakihin lang baka magawa na din niya sa buong Pilipinas."

Uncertain future

But the future is still uncertain for Kayang-kaya, as Padaca has not yet decided to run for the presidency. If she decides to stay in Isabela, the group's members might go their separate ways as well. "Kung kalaunan ay hindi siya tumakbo...baka mag-iba-iba na kami," Bauzuela said.
 
Bauzuela also added that Padaca herself said she cannot stop the group from gathering support for her.

"She has been a person who have been telling people: try government because you can do many things. She's just open to possibilities. She will take a look whether this movement will take off, generate momentum, groundswell, magsi-synergize siya. Our role now is to convince as many people as possible," he said.

Bauzuela compared their strategy to the events in 1985, where a signature campaign was conducted to encourage the late former President Corazon Aquino to run for President. Mrs. Aquino agreed after receiving more than a million signatures.

Kayang-kaya will also launch a signature campaign for Padaca on Sept. 9, 2009, less than a month before the deadline of filing certificates of candidacy on November 15. The group MEN has likewise started a signature campaign to convince Chief Justice Puno to run. '

Despite time constraints, the group is optimistic that everything will fall into place. "I think in God's grace, all these things will come together. Maraming naguumpisa sa milagro. Ang basis lang namin, hindi yung kanyang pangako kundi yung kanyang ginawa," Bauzuela said.

Morales also added that they still have time. "It might be late for [traditional] politicians but for us, it's not. Ang botohan, isang araw lang naman. Kailangan lang natin ipahatid yung mensahe na isang pultika lang ang dapat sa bansa."