update:
Senator aims to be youngest Philippine president
By Rosemarie Francisco and Manny Mogato
MANILA, Feb 23 (Reuters) - He is not old enough yet to run for president under Philippines' laws, but Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero will be by next year, when he hopes to become the country's youngest-ever leader.
Escudero, who turns 40 in October, is frequently compared with U.S. President Barack Obama due to his charisma and eloquence and has consistently ranked among the top 5 in surveys of candidates for 2010 presidential polls in the Philippines.
The first time senator, a lawyer, says he is flattered by the Obama comparison but isn't ready to announce his candidacy yet.
"I am not saying I won't, I'm not saying I will. All I am saying is that the decision will have to made when I'm fully qualified," Escudero said in an interview on Monday at his home in a Manila suburb, while his one-year-old twins played about him.
"It would be historic, if at all, not only on the part of our country, not only on the part of our generation, but also in so far as I am concerned," he said.
Elections are still some 16 months away, but Manila's political class is already readying for the polls, with a clutch of leading political figures, mostly senators, considering their chances.
Escudero, who got his nickname from the local equivalent of the Cheetos snack food, estimates slightly more than 50 percent of the country's voting population by 2010 would be 40 years old and below, his own definition of young voters.
"I would want to see a young leader in 2010. Someone that embodies the generation to which the majority of Filipinos belong to right now," he said.
"The next leader should also follow the law and execute the laws," he added. "We haven't been inspired for the longest time, our next leader must be able to do that."
Escudero is staunchly opposed to President Gloria Macapagal and has supported all four impeachment motions against her, even though she was one of the main witnesses at his 1999 wedding.
Arroyo will not be eligible to contest under laws that prohibit more than a single six-year elected term for the president.
Escudero's detractors have belittled his capability to become the country's next leader because of his age and inexperience.
"Being young is not a handicap," he said. "No one can boast anything based from experience because those with long experience in government have made big fools of us."
"Experience...has not served this country well."
Escudero, with 11 years as a legislator under his belt, stressed he is no different than other candidates he would be up against in 2010 in terms of years in public service.
He was a three-term congressman before winning the 2007 senatorial polls with the second-highest number of votes.
At least three senators -- Manuel Roxas, Manuel Villar and Loren Legarda -- and vice president Manuel "Noli" de Castro are expected to stand in the presidential polls in May next year.
"The next leader of the country should be addressing three issues -- all gut issues -- jobs, income, and prices of commodities," Escudero said.
While he comes from a land-owning family with a long history in politics -- his father is a congressman who served under two past presidents -- Escudero says he lives simply and has had to sell his two vintage cars to expand his house and put up start-up savings for his twins.
Money alone does not make a successful campaign, he says, judging from the 2007 polls when he spent about a fifth of what a senatorial candidate would normally spend. His campaign funds came mostly from contributions from supporters, he said.
"The challenge to the candidates is to inspire the voter to participate, make known his vote and naturally campaign for a candidate. Whoever captures the imagination of the people in that regard, I think, will have a good chance of winning."
