MANILA - With nine months to go before the May 2010 polls, Senator Benigno 'Noynoy' Aquino III is seeking to revive the People Power spirit that propelled his late mother to the presidency in 1986.

With no categorical statement yet on whether he would take up the challenge of carrying the banner of the Liberal Party (LP) in next year’s presidential elections, Aquino indicated on Wednesday that he wants to see whether the people would be behind him in his quest.

In his speech at Club Filipino in San Juan, a day after LP's presidential aspirant Senator Manuel 'Mar' Roxas II announced he was dropping out of the race, Aquino rallied the people to put up a stand.

“Panahon din maghanda para sa isang mas mahaba at matinding laban kung saan walang bibitiw hanggang makamit natin ang pagbabagong hinahangad,” Aquino said.

He made his announcement at the historic Gabaldon Room, where his mother, the late former President Corazon Aquino, took her oath of office in 1986 after a people power revolt.

Personal sacrifice

Aquino paid tribute to Roxas describing the latter’s decision as the “finest example of selflessness that our nation sorely needs in these morally troubled times.”

Roxas had been charting his career the past two years toward the presidency.

Aquino thanked Roxas for his "sacrifice" in withdrawing from the 2010 race in favor of party unity and national interest.

"Umaapaw po ang paghanga at paggalang ko kay Mar sa kanyang pagsasaaalangalang ng kanyang personal na ambisyon para sa pagkakaisa ng aming partido at para sa higit na mataas na mithiin na kapwa namin inaasahan para sa aming taumbayan," Aquino said.

He also echoed Roxas' call for personal sacrifice.

"Tulad po ng kanyang sinabi kagabi, kalimutan po natin ang ating mga sarili dahil ang laganap na pagtingin sa pansariling kapakanan ang mismong ugat ng kasakiman at pagkawatak-watak na sumisira sa ating lipunan," he said.

Aquino said he and Roxas will be one in their fight.

"Kasama po ako ni Mar sa malaking laban na ito. At sana, kasama rin naman ang bawat Pilipinong naniniwala sa aking kalinisan ng loob, at ng karamihan ng ating mga kababayan na naghahangad ng isang bansang tunay nating maipagmamalaki," he said.

He also said that the pressing issue was not about who should be the candidate.

"Ang usapin pong ito ay di tungkol sa akin o kay Mar. Ang mahalaga pong malaman ay kung kasama namin kayo sa misyon ng tunay na pagbabago. Hindi po madali ang misyong ito dahil matindi ang kabulukukang bumabalot sa ating lipunan. Nguni't hindi imposibleng makamit ang ating mga pinakamimithi para sa Pilipinas. Ito ay magsisimula sa bawat isa sa atin," he said.

Spiritual retreat

Aquino said he would undergo a spiritual retreat to “pray for discernment and divine guidance” before taking the plunge.

"This weekend, starting tomorrow actually, I will be going on a spiritual retreat as I pray for discernment and divine guidance," Aquino said in a prepared speech.

"I urge you to pray with me so that you too can assess your own readiness to take part in the difficult struggle ahead. We are hopefully in this together," he said.

"Hindi ko po tatalikuran ang hamong ito, sana'y kasama ko kayo sa labang ito," Aquino said.

"Sa mga nalalabing araw ng aming pagluluksa at pagdadalamhati sa pagpanaw ng aming mahal na ina, sisikapin ko pong taospusong sagutin ang katanungang ito. Sana maunawaan po ninyo ang bagay na ito," Aquino said.

A member of Aquino's staff said the spiritual retreat was sought by the Aquino brood before he makes his final decision.

Aquino has said that he will be considering the sentiments of his sisters on whether he should run for the presidency.

People power alive?

LP stalwart Florencio Abad said Aquino’s call for people to awaken their sense of volunteerism “will put to test whether the people power spirit is still alive.”

People power ousted the dictatorship of President Ferdinand Marcos in 1986. It was revived in 2001, which led to the downfall of President Estrada following allegations of large-scale corruption.

The people power phenomenon was believed to have been re-awakened following the death of Mrs. Aquino last August 1. Hundreds of thousands took part in her funeral procession on August 5.

Abad said the reawakening of the people power movement is creating the surge in interest for Noynoy to seek the presidency.

Lack of funds

When he first ran for national office in 2007, Aquino self-deprecatingly admitted that not many people knew him. In his provincial sorties, there was none of the excitement normally generated by popular candidates.

Still, Aquino placed sixth in the 2007 senatorial race, garnering more than 14 million votes.

Realizing that the goodwill of the Aquino family will not be enough to win this time around, he is now calling on people power to help him decide.

Aquino observed that some of the presidential wannabes already have a jump start in their presidential campaign, and the fast approaching synchronized national and local elections on May 10, 2010 poses huge problem.

Aquino said it would be “too late” for him to run a traditional election campaign.

However, he said that “if people will run the campaign,” he will have “more chances" in the elections.

On the question of financial resources, Aquino said a people-driven campaign can offset any financial limitation. “How can you put a price to volunteerism?” he asked.

During the 2007 senatorial race, Aquino ran on a limited budget. While other candidates flooded the airwaves and the campaign trail with self-promotional ads, Aquino’s camp was scrimping on election paraphernalia. -- Aries Rufo, Lilita Balane, and Rey Santos, Newsbreak